Netherlands joins growing list of HIMARS customers
US marines fire rockets from a HIMARS M142 system. (Photo: USMC)
The US State Department has approved a possible FMS to the government of the Netherlands of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and related equipment.
As part of the FMS, the Netherlands requested 20 launchers, various missile pods, 17 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles and other equipment and vehicles. The total estimated cost of the FMS is $670 million.
The M142 HIMARS launcher can accommodate six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets with a maximum range of approximately 70km or one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System that can strike targets up to 300km away.
The Netherlands is just one of many countries which has sought to procure the HIMARS system after its success in Ukraine. At the start of this month, Poland began the process of acquiring 500 M142 HIMARS launchers worth an estimated $10 billion.
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