New Technology World

• A U.S.-made high-mobility artillery rocket system helped Ukraine turn the tide in its fight against Russia.
• The success of HIMARS will likely increase demand for the weapon, which Taiwan already wants to buy.
• The US Army is currently looking for a company capable of manufacturing up to 100 HIMARS launchers per year.

The US Army is looking for a company that can produce up to 100 HIMARS multi-rocket launchers per year.

The Army’s Request for Information (RFI) comes as Ukraine is conducting a devastating attack on Russian forces using the new US-supplied M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

Interestingly, the Army is presenting a five-year schedule calling for nearly 500 new HIMARS, currently manufactured by Lockheed Martin. From 2024 to 2028, the Army is considering a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 96 new launchers per year, for a total of 120 to 480 over five years.

“The total HIMARS volume includes all potential variants,” the Army said. including, but not limited to, management (SEPM), Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), spares, new equipment training, and other support equipment.”

Whether these new HIMARS will actually be built depends on funding, parliamentary politics, and changes in international affairs and military technology. “The information provided may be used by the Army in developing its acquisition strategy,” said his Redstone Arsenal, which issued the RFI.

Wisconsin Army National Guard HIMARS in Gotland, Sweden, October 2021.

US Army/Sergeant Patrick Orcutt

Adding 480 new launchers would nearly double the global supply of HIMARS.

There are 363 in the U.S. Army and another 47 in the Marine Corps. The Army has said it will try to increase its forces to her 547 HIMARS in 2021 before Russia attacks Ukraine. Romania has 18 of her HIMARS and the US has approved purchases of up to 54 of her. Singapore has 18 Ranchers and 12 Jordans.

Ukraine’s next most notable buyer is probably Taiwan, which is currently on order for 29 HIMARS.

Taiwan originally planned to order 11 HIMARS, along with 40 M109A6 Paladin self-propelled 155 mm howitzers, but wants to cancel the Paladin order in favor of more long-range HIMARS. increase. The Taiwanese military believes that HIMARS can effectively counter amphibious landing operations.

In fact, given HIMARS’ prominence in the Ukrainian War, which has been called a ‘game changer’, that fame alone could drive sales.

HIMARS is designed to be a lightweight, truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher alongside the more heavily armored M270 multiple rocket system. HIMARS can launch long-range Army tactical missile systems, while Ukrainian vehicles are armed with guided multiple rocket system pods capable of launching six of his GPS-guided rockets up to 50 miles.

Ukraine uses HIMARS for pinpoint strikes to destroy Russian targets such as ammunition depots, command posts and even bridges.

A Ukrainian troop commander shows a rocket mounted on a HIMARS vehicle in eastern Ukraine on July 1.

Anastasia Vlasova for The Washington Post via Getty Images

The HIMARS’ long range is especially appreciated by the Ukrainian military. When Russia launched its offensive in February, the Soviet-era artillery used by Ukrainian forces outpaced the range of new Russian-made weapons such as the BM-30 Smerch multiple rocket launcher, which has a range of 45 miles. rice field.

This allowed Russian artillery to destroy Ukrainian guns while remaining safely out of range of counterattacks. Since HIMARS is truck-mounted, it can also employ scoot-and-shoot tactics to move quickly after firing.

However, increasing production of HIMARS is not easy. Covid-19 and other supply chain issues have created procurement backlogs in the civil and military worlds. Even in the best of times, it’s difficult to build up our weapon manufacturing capacity. Even expanding production lines for obsolete unguided 155 mm howitzer ammunition can take a year or more.

Manufacturers may be reluctant to invest, fearing that shifting Pentagon priorities and congressional funding will leave unused capacity. Her exports of HIMARS and other weapons to other countries are also hostage to fluid global politics and the US’ complex foreign military sales process.

Nevertheless, HIMARS appears to be a desirable weapon. If there is enough demand, the US defense industry will build more.

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master’s degree in political science.follow him twitter and LinkedIn.