US Army Accelerates HIMARS Transition to Strengthen Firepower in the Pacific.

The United States Army has taken a significant step in modernizing its artillery capabilities in the Pacific. The 25th Infantry Division, based in Hawaii, has begun transitioning its howitzer battalions to units equipped with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a truck-mounted long-range rocket platform. This change is part of a broader transformation of the US armed forces aimed at increasing lethality, mobility, and flexibility in a region marked by growing tensions and complex operational challenges.
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Three HIMARS units were delivered this week to the division at Schofield Barracks on Oahu island, transported via C-5 Galaxy aircraft to Pearl Harbor-Hickam (Picture source: US DoD)

The M142 HIMARS is a multiple launch rocket system mounted on a 5-ton 6x6 FMTV tactical truck chassis. Developed by Lockheed Martin, it delivers MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) firepower on a wheeled platform, combining mobility with responsiveness. Operated by a three-person crew, the HIMARS can be loaded and used by a single operator through an automated fire control system. It is transportable by C-130 aircraft and can be deployed in difficult-to-access areas, firing the full range of MLRS munitions, including the GMLRS guided rockets with a 70 km range and the ATACMS tactical missile capable of reaching 300 km.

Technically, the HIMARS is equipped with a launcher-loader module housing a pod of six rockets or a single ATACMS missile, mounted on a platform that can rotate 360 degrees horizontally and elevate up to 60°. Powered by a Caterpillar C7 engine paired with an Allison 3700SP 7-speed automatic transmission, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 85 km/h with a range of 480 km. It is protected against small arms fire and 155mm artillery shell fragments and incorporates navigation, communication, and NBC protection systems.

Three HIMARS units were delivered this week to the division at Schofield Barracks on Oahu island, transported via C-5 Galaxy aircraft to Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In total, 16 HIMARS launchers will replace the 14 howitzers currently in service, comprising eight 105mm and six 155mm pieces. This reorganization also entails an adjustment in personnel, with 119 fewer soldiers needed compared to howitzer battalions. To support this human and operational transition, 73 artillery soldiers (13B cannoneers) volunteered to retrain as HIMARS crew members (13M qualification). Among them, 27 will undergo a three-week transition course facilitated by the National Guard to learn the operation of this new weapons system.

Major General Marcus Evans, commander of the 25th Infantry Division, emphasized that this evolution addresses the need for more mobile and precise firepower while maintaining the ability to engage in close combat with traditional artillery. He stated that the HIMARS significantly extends the range of precision strikes and offers critical tactical agility to counter enemy observation and detection capabilities. This system enhances the ability to operate within the battlefield's chaos, increase operational reach, and move quickly to avoid enemy targeting.

Colonel Dan Von Benken, the division artillery commander, noted that there are no plans to abandon howitzers entirely; the division will retain a cannon component in its arsenal. The aim is to maintain complementarity between different artillery forms, each with specific advantages depending on the nature of engagements.

Concurrently with HIMARS integration, the division is enhancing its forces with advanced technologies. General Evans indicated that the 125th Military Intelligence Battalion would transform into a multi-domain fires battalion, designed to improve battlefield intelligence and targeting capabilities. This change aligns with a broader policy to leverage new technologies to enhance detection, strike, protection, and logistical support capacities. The increased use of drones is also part of this approach, with the division now employing reconnaissance drones with ranges from 2-3 km up to 40 km.

Training and validation of these new capabilities will continue over the coming months. A validation exercise is scheduled for the fall within the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center framework. Training will take place in central Oahu, at the Pohakuloa training area on Hawaii's Big Island, and by February 2026, in the Philippines. For the soldiers involved, mastering the HIMARS system offers a notable operational experience. Private First Class Mikyle Meyer described the sensation of seeing rocket trails in the sky and the impact felt when the rockets are launched.

Through this transformation, the US Army aims to significantly strengthen the firepower and responsiveness of its forces in the Pacific, a region where strategic stakes and military rivalries are intensifying. Combining precision, mobility, and emerging technologies represents the US Army's response to contemporary threat challenges.

The deployment of HIMARS in Hawaii and the Pacific addresses the strategic needs of the United States amidst growing tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific region. The vast operational theater requires long-range, mobile, and precise strike capabilities. With a reach of up to 300 km, HIMARS enables rapid strikes from remote islands while being easily air-deployable. Its mobility lowers vulnerability to enemy strikes, aligning with the American doctrine of dispersion and expeditionary mobility designed to complicate adversary detection systems.

This decision is part of the US Army’s broader modernization strategy, combining long-range fires, intelligence, electronic warfare, and drones into an integrated operational system. HIMARS also bolsters interoperability with regional allies through joint exercises like RIMPAC. This dynamic accompanies the transformation of the 125th Military Intelligence Battalion into a multi-domain fires battalion to optimize coordination between sensors and strike capabilities. The objective remains clear: to reinforce US military deterrence and superiority in the Pacific in the face of China’s regional ambitions.