The Swedish government authorized the Armed Forces to enter into an acquisition contract for the HIMARS rocket system with the American company Lockheed Martin. The value of the agreement is around 7 billion Swedish kronor, which corresponds to almost 630 million euros.
The HIMARS system is a multiple rocket launcher that enables precision strikes at long ranges, having become a relevant military equipment in the context of the war in Ukraine. Sweden thus joins several NATO countries that already have this system in their armed forces.
In addition to the contract with Lockheed Martin, Sweden also signed a parallel agreement with Finland to jointly operate rocket artillery. This military cooperation between the two Nordic countries aims to strengthen joint defense capabilities in the Nordic and Baltic region.
The acquisition is part of the context of strengthening Swedish military capabilities and the increase in defense spending in Europe, driven by the deterioration of the security environment following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
