Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas met with US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin in Washington on the 15th of December, and signed an agreement on the purchase of HIMARS, Lithuanian public media LRT writes.
Lithuania plans to buy eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States, along with various types of missiles, including long-range missiles that can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away, for a total purchase cost of 495 million dollars. According to the contract, Lithuania purchases both HIMARS, its ammunition, maintenance equipment, and training. The purchase is being made with help of the US government. The first missile systems will arrive in Lithuania in 2025.
Anusauskas said: «This is a huge step for our armed forces.»
HIMARS is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, one of the largest arms manufacturers in the world. In the fall, the company reported plans to increase production capacity, producing 96 missile systems per year instead of the previous 60. 20 HIMARS systems have been sent to Ukraine, and they are successfully used in the fight against Russian attacks.
Estonia and Latvia have also reported plans to acquire HIMARS. According to Anusauskas, the purchase of missile systems is mutually coordinated, and all the Baltic states will provide 20 HIMARS systems in the region.
Read also: Kyiv: Russia is planning a massive attack at the beginning of the new year