Narva, Estonia. (January 3, 2025): It is a rocket system that has become the star on the battlefields of Ukraine and is much sought after by our allies. In this photo by Sergeant Rose Di Trolio, Sergeant Cade England and his team showcase the high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) capabilities to local residents. HIMARS can launch multiple, precision-guided rockets to strike targets more than forty miles away with high accuracy. Besides precision and range, the other thing that sets HIMARS apart is its mobility.

Mounted on a standard five-ton truck, the launcher can be transported by aircraft to different locations and be ready to fire within minutes. On the battlefield, HIMARS can fire multiple rockets at once and then quickly relocate to another location, reload, and fire again. This “shoot and scoot” tactic makes it difficult for the enemy to locate and target the system. Developed in the late 1990s, HIMARS can fire either six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets or one ATACMS missile. It is used primarily to disrupt enemy supply lines or to strike high-value targets at long range.

Its success on the battlefield has generated intense demand for HIMARS by Nato countries Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In fact, Lockheed Martin recently opened the first European HIMARS Sustainment Centre in nearby Romania and is increasing production to 14,000 units a year this year.

As more and more friendly nations employ HIMARS, its reputation is certain to grow.