On October 24, 2023, the US Department of Defense Agency for Military Cooperation (Defense Security Cooperation Agency - DSCA) sent a notification to the US Congress about the planned upcoming sale to Latvia through the US program of intergovernmental foreign military sales Foreign Military Sales (FMS) at the request of the Latvian government of HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) land-based missile systems manufactured by Lockheed Corporation Martin. This delivery is approved by the U.S. Department of State. The total cost of the proposed delivery will be $ 220 million, including missiles, and training and technical support packages.
Combat vehicle of the M142 HIMARS missile system of the US Army during the Namejs 2022 multinational exercise in Skede (Latvia) in September 2022 (c) Gints Ivuskans / AFP
According to the notification, six M142 HIMARS combat vehicles, 12 six-shot transport and launch modules with six GMLRS M30A2 Alternative Warhead (AW) correctable high-precision missiles with a fragmentation warhead and improved IMPS (Insensitive Munitions Propulsion System) engines in each (72 missiles in total), 12 six-shot transport and launch modules should be included in the delivery to Latvia with six GMLRS M31A2 Modular correctable missiles with a monoblock warhead in each (a total of 72 missiles), and 10 ATACMS M57 tactical missiles. The delivery will also include practical M28A2 LCRRPRP missiles, communication systems, educational equipment, and other related equipment.
Thus, Latvia will become the third Baltic state, after Lithuania and Estonia, to acquire American HIMARS and ATACMS missile systems. Recall that in the joint communique adopted following the meeting of the Defense Ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in Siauliai (Lithuania) on May 21, 2021, among other things, a provision was written on studying the possibility of joint acquisition by the three countries of multiple Launch Rocket systems in the period after 2025. In fact, this meant the purchase of American M142 HIMARS missile systems.
In July 2022, DSCA issued a notification about the upcoming sale of HIMARS missile systems and missiles to Estonia in the amount of $ 500 million. The proposed delivery to Estonia includes six M142 HIMARS combat vehicles and 36 six-shot transport and launch modules each with adjustable high-precision missiles of the GMLRS M30A2 Alternative Warhead, GMLRS M31A2 Unitary, ER GMLRS XM403 Alternative Warhead and ER GMLRS XM404 Unitary types, as well as 18 ATACMS M57 operational and tactical missiles.
Then in November 2022, DSCA issued a notice of the upcoming sale of HIMARS missile systems and missiles to Lithuania in the amount of $495 million. The proposed delivery to Lithuania includes eight M142 HIMARS combat vehicles and a completely similar set of missile ammunition to Estonia - 36 six-shot transport and launch modules with adjustable high-precision missiles of the GMLRS M30A2 Alternative Warhead, GMLRS M31A2 Unitary, ER GMLRS XM403 Alternative Warhead and ER GMLRS XM404 Unitary types, as well as 18 ATACMS M57 operational and tactical missiles.
Estonia and Lithuania signed relevant agreements with the United States on procurement through FMS, respectively, on December 2 and 15, 2022. According to Baltic sources, they are expected to receive HIMARS missile systems from 2024.
Now Latvia is following them. It draws attention to the fact that the amount of missile ammunition planned for purchase by Latvia for HIMARS is much less than that purchased by Lithuania and Estonia.