The US state department has approved the potential sale of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and related equipment to Lithuania for an estimated cost of $495 million (493.72 million euros).
“The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today,” the agency said on November 10.
The agency noted that the proposed sale would contribute to Lithuania’s military goals of updating its capability while enhancing interoperability with the US and other allies.
According to Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas, the HIMARS systems are an “entirely new and powerful capability, which Lithuania has never had”.
“For the Lithuanian Armed Forces, this capability will take intelligence, electronic warfare and other capabilities to an even higher level. Missiles of several types will be delivered, including operational-tactical missiles ATACMS, which have a range of up to 300 kilometres,” he said in a Facebook post.
Later, he told reporters in the Lithuanian parliament that the systems would be delivered to Lithuania in several years’ time and would therefore not affect Lithuania’s decisions on sending currently available weapons to Ukraine.
“We will receive them only in 2025 or 2026,” Anusauskas said.
The US has sent to Ukraine 16 HIMARS systems that are being successfully used in the fight against Russia’s invasion.
The HIMARS are mounted on trucks that carry a container with six precision-guided rockets with a range of about 70 kilometres or one ATACMS missile with a range of up to 300 kilometres.
The officials of the Baltic States have also announced plans by Latvia and Estonia to acquire HIMARS systems. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
