Sweden buys HIMARS and plans missile production

Sweden will buy the US HIMARS rocket artillery system and a large quantity of GMLRS ammunition, SVT reports. The government has also decided to support production in Sweden of a precision missile with a range of 500 kilometres.

Defence Minister Pål Jonson said the purchase would give the Swedish Army a capability it currently lacks, allowing it to strike targets at significantly longer distances.

The deal covers just over 10 launch units, with the first expected to arrive in Sweden next year. Its total value is more than 7 billion kronor.

There is a global shortage of ammunition for HIMARS. To help address this, Saab and US company Lockheed Martin have signed a declaration of intent to manufacture the PrSM precision missile in Sweden.

The Swedish Armed Forces have not operated a similar weapons system in modern times and will need to develop new expertise. Finland already has this knowledge, having long maintained units specialising in rocket artillery.

Sweden and Finland will therefore also adopt a joint declaration covering training and technical maintenance for the units in Finland. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen described the move as another milestone in the countries’ growing military cooperation.