The government of the United States has authorized the possible sale of a significant batch of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), together with its corresponding package of guided munitions, to equip the Canadian Army. This emerges from one of the most recent Department of State notifications to Congress, seeking approval for the operation encompassed within the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, valued at US$1.75 billion.
Like many other land forces worldwide, the Canadian Army is advancing several capability acquisition programs. In the fire support and long-range strike segment, Canadian interest has focused on acquiring multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS). It has also been reported that Canada is seeking new wheeled 155 mm self-propelled howitzers.
Accordingly, and based on what the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published on October 1, the government of Canada requested from the United States the purchase of a total of twenty-six (26) M142 HIMARS high-mobility artillery rocket systems. The package, valued at US$1.75 billion, lists Lockheed Martin as the principal supplier and includes, in addition to support services, training and documentation, a large batch of guided munitions.
According to the published documentation, and should a contract with the U.S. firm be formalized, the future Canadian HIMARS would receive an initial stock of guided munitions composed of:
• 132 M31A2 GMLRS guided rockets.
• 132 M30A2 GMLRS guided rockets.
• 32 M403 GMLRS guided rockets.
• 32 M404 GMLRS ER rockets.
• 64 M57 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.
Finally, the Department of State indicated that: “The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the military capability of Canada, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Ally that is an important force for ensuring political stability and economic progress and is a contributor to military, peacekeeping, and humanitarian operations around the world.”
They added that: “The proposed sale will improve Canada’s ability to meet current and future threats by providing the M142 HIMARS long-range precision strike system and munitions. This capability will protect Canada by improving Canada’s contribution to collective hemispheric defense and to defense and deterrence in Europe, as directed by NATO’s defense plans. Canada will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”
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It is sad that this gets press outside the country first. However, of greater surprise is why Canada does not use its own tech to source local or to use European systems? In the event if conflict we would be working with the Europeans more than Americans