Estonia buys HIMARS, ammunition will include ATACMS missiles

Estonia has ordered M142 HIMARS rocket systems from the United States.

Magnus-Valdemar Saar, National Defense Investment Center (RKIK) director, signed a corresponding agreement with the U.S. Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

This is the largest defense purchase in the history of Estonia, ERR reports.

The total value of the contract is more than $200 million.

The main contractor for the implementation of the agreement will be the American defense company Lockheed Martin.

Estonia is procuring not only HIMARS self-propelled launchers, but also rocket munitions and communications equipment.

Also, the Estonian M142 will have ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles with a launch range of up to 300 km.

“As part of the agreement, in addition to launchers, Estonia will also purchase ammunition and communication equipment. The agreement also includes the resolution of issues related to training and logistics. The package also includes various missiles, the range of which ranges from 70 to 300 kilometers,” said Ramil Lipp, head of weaponry at the Defense Investments Center.

Estonia intends to use modern American weapons to upgrade its armed forces and expand its own defense capabilities.

“The HIMARS artillery rocket systems are a new and important step in the development of Estonia’s defense capabilities,” said the head of the Department of the General Staff of the Defense Forces, Lt. Col. Kaarel Mäesalu.

As previously reported, the government of Estonia had already made a request to the United States for the purchase of up to six HIMARS launchers.

In July 2022, the U.S. Department of State approved the possible sale to Estonia of M142 HIMARS highly mobile artillery rocket systems, as well as related equipment, spare parts and technical support, and ammunition.