A U.S. Army rocket launcher fires during exercise Nordic Strike at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, Sept. 27, 2022. Sweden and Finland signed a rocket artillery cooperation agreement alongside the purchase, covering sustainment, spare parts and ammunition. (Devin Klecan/U.S. Army)
Sweden’s government said it will buy U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers for striking targets at longer distances, as NATO’s newest member moves to rapidly strengthen its firepower amid heightened security concerns in Europe.
The country’s first HIMARS launchers are expected to be delivered next year as part of an acquisition costing about $730 million, the government said in a statement Monday.
The statement did not specify the number of HIMARS included, but state broadcaster Sveriges Television reported it was “just over ten firing units.”
“In light of the security situation, rapidly available capabilities are needed that complement conventional artillery systems such as Archer artillery systems and grenade launchers, and that are also compatible with Allies’ systems, the government’s statement said.
Sweden also announced Monday that it is expanding its artillery cooperation with neighboring Finland.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson and Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen signed a letter of intent covering cooperation on rocket artillery, including training, education, capability development, maintenance, security of supply and potentially production.
“Together we are developing an important capability for NATO’s collective defense,” Jonson said, according to the statement.
Finland operates the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, which uses the same ammunition and shares some components with HIMARS.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland abandoned longstanding policies of military nonalignment and applied to join NATO in May of that year.
Finland, which shares a border of more than 800 miles with Russia, became a member of the alliance in April 2023, followed by Sweden in March 2024. Both countries also have signed defense cooperation agreements with the U.S. that allow American forces access to designated military facilities on NATO’s northern flank.
HIMARS, which gained widespread interest due to its battlefield performance in Ukraine, can fire a range of precision-guided rockets and missiles, including the newer Precision Strike Missile. Those munitions can hit targets over about 250 miles away, manufacturer Lockheed Martin has said.
Jonson said the new systems would enable Sweden to use Precision Strike Missiles in the future, Breaking Defense reported Monday.
The nearby Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — also are building HIMARS programs of their own.
At a NATO summit last year, leaders agreed to raise defense and security spending from 2% to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, following sustained pressure from President Donald Trump for European allies to spend more on their own defense.
“The introduction of rocket artillery clearly demonstrates that Sweden is taking responsibility for security in Europe,” Jonson said.