Estonia signed a $200 million contract with the United States to purchase High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (ECDI) under the Estonian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
“On Friday, Magnus-Valdemar Saar, Director General of the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (ECDI), signed a contract with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) for the procurement of the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems, which is an important capacity boost in the development of Estonia’s indirect fire capability… The total value of the contract is more than 200 million dollars,” the statement read.
Saar stated that the renewal of the armaments and ammunition of the Estonian armed forces would help the country to achieve its defense goals.
According to Ramil Lipp, the ECDI Armament Category Manager, the contract is Estonia’s largest arms procurement project ever.
“As part of the contract, in addition to the weapon system, Estonia will also procure ammunition, communications solutions, as well as training, logistics, and life-cycle solutions. The package includes rockets with different effects, ranging from 70 to 300 kilometers [43 to 186 miles],” Lipp said in a statement released by the ECDI.
The ECDI noted that in addition to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were also expected to purchase the HIMARS multiple rocket system. The first deliveries of HIMARS to Estonia would take place in 2024, the center added.
The year 2022 has seen a surge in demand for HIMARS after the systems received publicity during their combat deployment in Ukraine. Along with Estonia, several other countries at once announced their intention to purchase this type of weaponry from the United States, including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Australia.
Earlier, the US military awarded Lockheed Martin with a $430 million contract for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and support services, the Defense Department said.
“Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $430,930,711 fixed-price incentive contract for full-rate production of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and support services to satisfy an urgent need to support the Army and various Foreign Military Sales partners, ” the Defense Department said in a notice on Thursday.
The contract is estimated to be completed by December 31, 2025, the notice said. The United States has delivered a number of HIMARS to Ukraine for use against Russia’s special military operation, where they claim the weapon has been particularly effective.
Via: Sputnik News Agency
