Everyone wants a HIMARS

Nato’s supply of weapons to the Kyiv government to fight the Russians has led to an arms bonanza for western defence industries. For certain systems the US is almost on a war footing for arms production not only to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs, but also to restock dwindling inventories of battlefield weapons required for potential future conflicts. In more than ten months of fighting in Ukraine, the US and allies have contributed hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons and munitions to Kyiv, and many of the most advanced systems have become a byword for combat capability. As a result, with Ukraine becoming a showcase for such weapons, the US , in particular, has been inundated with requests for arms deals from around the world. The agreement to sell the much-touted long range M142 high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) to Australia is just the latest boon for the US defence industry. Estonia signed a $200 million contract last month to buy six HIMARS launchers with deliveries due next year. It was Estonia’s largest-ever arms procurement programme. Two other Baltic countries, Lithuania and Latvia, are also involved in buying HIMARS, and Poland is planning to order a second batch of these Ukraine-war-proven rocket systems. The Polish government first ordered HIMARS in 2019. Only Russia has used the war to try out its most exotic weapons, launching a number of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles from MiG-31 aircraft in August but to little effect. The US and Nato allies, however, have focused on systems that would have greatest impact both for protecting Ukraine’s military and critical infrastructure and attacking Russian warfighting assets. These are the weapons which have attracted most attention in the arms-exporting world. US companies such as Lockheed Martin, makers of HIMARS, and Raytheon with Norwegian firm Kongsberg, joint manufacturers of the national advanced surface-to-air missile system (NASAMS) , have benefited to the tune of billions of dollars as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. The UK government has sent so many of its Swedish/British next generation light anti-tank weapons (NLAW) to Ukraine it has had to place a £229 million order for fresh supplies. The priority given to armed drone warfare by both Russia and Ukraine has also generated world-wide interest. Turkey’s relatively cheap , long-endurance Bayraktar TB2 drones supplied to Kyiv played a crucial role in the successful strikes on advancing Russian tanks in the early phase of the war. Turkish drone production lines have been busy ever since.