US expects to deliver M142 HIMARS mobile rocket/missile launcher systems to Ukraine.

After the announcement by the United States to provide a new military aid of $40 billion to Ukraine, it is expected that the U.S. could deliver M142 HIMARS, a rocket/missile launcher system. This type of weapons delivery to Ukraine could offer a real advantage compared to Soviet-made equipment such as the BM-21, BM-27, and BM-30. The HIMARS also provides high accuracy.
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U.S. army Battery B, 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade, demonstrates the capabilities of the M142 High Mobility Missile Artillery System during a live-fire exercise during Salaknib 2022. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

On May 21, 2022, Army Recognition reported that the new military aid of $40 billion from the United States to Ukraine could also include a Patriot air defense missile system.

The country continues to invest billions of dollars to support the Ukrainian army in its fight against the Russian armed forces. Since January 2021, the United States has invested more than $4.5 billion in security assistance to demonstrate our enduring and steadfast commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes more than $3.8 billion since Russia’s launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Since 2014, the United States has provided more than $6.5 billion in security assistance for training and equipment to help Ukraine preserve its territorial integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO.

On May 23, 2022, the Group of Seven (G7), an inter-governmental political forum of seven leading economies, also agreed to provide $19.8 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.

The M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a mobile launch rocket/missile system manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin. It is a wheeled version of the M270 which is mounted on a tracked chassis. It is designed to support joint early and forced entry expeditionary operations with high-volume destructive, suppressive, and counter-battery fires.

The M142 HIMARS is based on M1140 FMTV light military truck chassis. The rear of the truck can be fitted with six rockets or one MGM-140 ATACMS surface-to-surface missile.

The M142 HIMARS has also a crew of three and it is twice as lighter than the M270 with a weight of 16,240 kg. It can be easily transported by military transport aircraft C-130 or C-17 with 3 loaded or 4 empty M142 HIMARS.

The M142 HIMARS is able to fire different types of rockets at a range of up to 70 km, including the M26 / M26A2Er Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), M30 GMLRS DPICM, M31 / M31A1 / m31A2 GMLRS Unitary (GMLRS-U), M30A1 / M30A2 GMLRS Alternative Warhead (GMLRS AW), XM404 /XM403 ER GMLRS RS Unitary and the M28A1 / M28A2 Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket (LCRRPR).

The ATACMS is a family of surface-to-surface missiles including the MGM-140B previously named M39A1 which is a guided missile carrying 275 M74 sub-munitions and has a range of 165 km. The M48 Quick Reaction Unitary is a guided missile carrying a 225 kg explosive warhead used to engage a single target with minimal collateral damage with a range from 70 to 300 km. The M57 ATACMS 2000 Unitary (T2K) is fitted with a single warhead and a range from 70 to 300 km. The missile has an improved Navigation and Guidance capability, an all-in-view GPS receiver, an improved Control Actuator System (CAS) and Electronic Control Unit (EUC), and a more reliable, repeatable fuse.