Photo By Sgt. Austin Steinborn | An Estonian soldier operates the newly acquired M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket...... read more read more
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AMARI AIR BASE, Estonia — Six U.S.-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) were officially unveiled by the Estonian Defense Forces in a ceremony alongside U.S. Soldiers and their HIMARS at Amari Air Base, Estonia, April 30, 2025.
The newly acquired systems significantly enhance Estonia’s ability to deliver precise long-range fires, enabling strikes deep behind enemy lines while simultaneously strengthening the country’s defense posture and combined capability with the U.S. Army.
“We're much stronger as a team today,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Rafferty, commanding general of the 56th Artillery Command. “We already know that we share the same values, that we share the same respect for the law of armed conflict, that we love freedom, and that we'll do anything to defend democracy. That's why with this capability, we're better poised to fight together as a team and deter our adversaries.”
The long-awaited arrival of the systems follows years of preparation and training with U.S. Soldiers and their HIMARS. Task Force Voit, consisting of rotational Soldiers, originally deployed to Estonia on short notice in 2022 and continues to train alongside Allies in the country.
“Estonia has matched our commitment multiple times over, with purchases of U.S. equipment that support U.S. jobs and investments in facilities that host our troops here in the country,” said Matt Wall, chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn.
The U.S. State Department initially approved the sale of HIMARS to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 in response to increased demand for advanced defensive capabilities among NATO allies. The six HIMARS units were officially sent out for delivery to Estonia at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Camden, Arkansas, on Jan. 13, 2025.
The delivery was also preceded by the European High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Initiative, or EHI, a V Corps-led effort between U.S. and European forces to enhance rocket artillery interoperability. The EHI series fosters military discussions aimed at increasing allies’ capability and capacity, improving interoperability, and complementing security assistance and fielding programs.
“I would like to thank our U.S. allies for giving us the opportunity to prepare for this day, for giving us the opportunity to train our professional soldiers and our reservists to be ready to operate these HIMARS,” said Hanno Pevkur, Estonia's minister of defense.
The fifth EHI summit took place in Tallinn, Estonia, Jan. 15-16, 2025, bringing together leaders and planners focused on integrating HIMARS capabilities across allied formations.
“From my point of view, sharing the artillery system is very important for the allied NATO partners,” said Maj. Gen. Maciej Jablonski, V Corps deputy commanding general of interoperability. “It builds our warfighting capability and makes the allied force combat credible, which is crucially important.”
The delivery of HIMARS to Estonia highlights ongoing efforts to bolster NATO’s eastern flank and ensure rapid, precise, and reliable long-range firepower in defense of allied territories.
“It's a pivotal moment in the defense of Estonia, in the defense of the Baltics, and in NATO deterrence,” said Rafferty.
As for the future, Estonia officially plans to increase its defense spending to 5.4% next year and to continue exploring new acquisitions.
“President Trump has taken decisive action to ensure the United States maintains a dynamic defense industrial base, which requires a robust network of capable partners like our allies here in Estonia,” said Wall.
Estonia's six new HIMARS, now in possession of its military, are planned to be fired for the first time as quickly as this summer. The rapid use and proficiency on the HIMARS by Estonian soldiers is due to the training and preparation by the U.S Soldiers of Task Force Voit and V Corps.
“In essence, by training the Estonians, we've enabled them to be able to use the systems effectively 24 hours after they received them,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Underwood, chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Tallinn, Estonia.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2025 07:31 |
| Story ID: | 496669 |
| Location: | AMARI AIR BASE, EE |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Forging Firepower: U.S. and Estonia Unite with HIMARS, by SGT Austin Steinborn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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