Transmittal No:
14-42
WASHINGTON, Sep 29, 2014 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Arab Emirates for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) Launchers and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $900 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested a possible sale of
12 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) Launchers
100 M57 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) T2K (Block IA Unitary) Rockets
65 M31A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket (GMLRS) Unitary Pods
Also included are 12 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Resupply Vehicles M1084A1P2; 2 Wreckers, 5 Ton, M1089A1P2, with Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) Cab and B-Kit Armor; 90 Low Cost Reduced-Range Practice Rocket (RRPR) pods; support equipment; communications equipment; spare and repair parts; test sets; batteries; laptop computers; publications and technical data; personnel training and equipment; systems integration support; a Quality Assurance Team and a Technical Assistance Fielding Team support; United States Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $900 million.
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the U.S. by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
The HIMARS will improve the UAE’s capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure. This proposed sale will also enhance the UAE’s interoperability with the U.S. and its allies, making it a more valuable partner in an increasingly important area of the world. The UAE will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, Texas. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of up to ten U.S. government or contractor representatives to travel to the UAE for a period of up to one year for equipment de-processing/fielding, system checkout and training.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.
UAE – High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) Launchers | The Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
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The UAE Wants To Buy More US-made HIMARS
October 15, 2014
It’s one of the fastest growing defense exports from the US and a leading Arab state wants 12 of them.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which oversees US arms sales around the world, the United Arab Emirates is
paying for a dozen HIMARS launchers together with 100 ballistic missiles instead of guided rockets.
The transaction is expensive, reaching $900 million.
From the official press release:
The UAE has requested:
12 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) Launchers
100 M57 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) T2K (Block IA Unitary) Rockets
65 M31A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket (GMLRS) Unitary Pods
Also included are 12 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Resupply Vehicles M1084A1P2; 2 Wreckers, 5 Ton, M1089A1P2, with Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) Cab and B-Kit Armor; 90 Low Cost Reduced-Range Practice Rocket (RRPR) pods; support equipment; communications equipment; spare and repair parts; test sets; batteries; laptop computers; publications and technical data; personnel training and equipment; systems integration support; a Quality Assurance Team and a Technical Assistance Fielding Team support; United States Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $900 million.
The deal includes 12 personnel from the US to oversee training.
The UAE bought 20 HIMARS launchers in 2009 for more than $700 million.
The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or HIMARS was a long-term attempt to equip US artillery forces with a lighter but just as lethal multiple rocket system compared to the Cold War-era MLRS.
While Russia and China have fielded mobile rocket launchers for decades, the US and NATO were more inclined toward old school towed and self-propelled artillery .
It wasn’t until the arrival of the HIMARS 10 years ago that the US Army got its own equivalent of the notorious BM-21 Grad favored by the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc.
A Backgrounder
Originally a project of
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, the HIMARS, which can fit inside a C130 transport, was conceived in 1996 and completed testing by 2004.
It wasn’t until 2005, however, that it entered production: a six-rocket module supported by a 6×6 Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV) built by Oshkosh.
The HIMARS’ launch system carries either six rockets or a single Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), a short-range ballistic missile.
A three-person crew operates the HIMARS from an armored cab powered by a 330 horsepower turbodiesel engine. The HIMARS’ top speed is reportedly between 85 to 91 kph.
A combination of GPS tracking and the same fire control system as the tracked MLRS allows the HIMARS to bombard targets up to 70 kilometers away.
Based on the UAE order, the requirement for 100 ATACMS T2K missiles means the Emirates wants guided munitions that are designed to saturate an area with hundreds of bomblets from midair.
The HIMARS is battle tested in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was in the latter country where the US Marine Corps saw the value of having a multiple rocket launcher at their disposal much like the Soviets did in the 1980s.
The USMC currently possess 50 HIMARS, often deploying them alongside their towed M777A2 155mm batteries.
A total of
400 HIMARS have been built, most being deployed with the US Army, whose requirement for the HIMARS has grown to 17 battalions.
A quiet success, the HIMARS has found willing customers among US allies like Singapore, Jordan, and Taiwan.
The UAE Wants To Buy More US-made HIMARS | 21st Century Asian Arms Race
