On Friday, May 10, 2024, the American Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published the U.S. State Department’s approval for the potential sale to Ukraine of three M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) for up to 30 million USD.
Photo: Sgt. Jailine L. AliceaSantiago, USMC
According to the published information, the government in Kyiv applied for the approval for acquisition of three M1140 launchers of the M142 HIMARS system along with associated logistics and program support elements. All costs will be covered on behalf of Ukraine by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The launchers are to come from the reserves of the U.S. Army.
The Secretary of State declared and detailed that there is an extraordinary situation (the war of Ukraine with Russia) that requires the immediate sale of the above military equipment and services to the government of Ukraine in the interest of the national security of the United States, thereby waiving the requirements for Congressional review under section 36(b) of the federal Arms Export Control Act.
The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by enhancing Ukraine’s self-defense capabilities and response to the ongoing Russian aggression.
The announcement of the financing by Germany for the purchase of the launchers was made the day before by the Federal Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, during his visit to Washington, where he met with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin:
Verteidigungsminister #Pistorius und sein 🇺🇸 Amtskollege @SecDef Austin haben das gemeinsame Engagement zur Unterstützung der #Ukraine unterstrichen. Deutschland plant, 3 weitreichende Raketenartilleriesysteme HIMARS zu kaufen und an die #Ukraine abzugeben. #StandwithUkraine pic.twitter.com/utBZGwT4oz
— Verteidigungsministerium (@BMVg_Bundeswehr) May 9, 2024
As of the current state of U.S. military aid dated May 10 this year, the administration of President Joe Biden has delivered over 40 M142 HIMARS launchers. Additional launchers, in an undisclosed quantity, were included in the 62nd military aid package, and a single launcher was announced in the 55th package.
On March 5 of this year, a video recording appeared showing the destruction of one of the HIMARS launchers by Russian forces – it was the first confirmed loss during the ongoing full-scale war.
On February 10 of this year, two damaged Ukrainian launchers were returned to the USA (one with visible damage from running over a mine). It was noted that they were transported to the Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania aboard a Ukrainian An-124-100M-150 Ruslan (registration number UR-82008):