German Defense Minister visits US to buy HIMARS "fire god" to give to Ukraine

Ukraine will receive three High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the US stockpile and Germany will pay for them, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on May 9.

Mr Pistorius, who revealed the plan after talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, said the idea emerged during a prolonged wait for US$61 billion in aid to Ukraine.

The US Congress approved this aid to Kiev as part of a $95 billion foreign aid package at the end of April.

“Time is of the essence,” Minister Pistorius told reporters. “Therefore, we propose to receive, pay for and deliver three (HIMARS) systems from the US Army inventory.”

A US-made and supplied M142 HIMARS system, used by the Ukrainian Army to launch rockets at Russian positions during the ongoing conflict. Photo: Getty Images

The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, commonly known as the HIMARS, is manufactured by the US-based Lockheed Martin Corporation. The HIMARS has proven effective in targeting Russian supply lines and ammunition depots far from the front line.

A multiple launch rocket system mounted on a 6x6 FMTV truck chassis, HIMARS is highly mobile and can launch multiple precision-guided missiles simultaneously. HIMARS carries a launcher loaded with six 227 mm guided missiles, or a launcher loaded with one ATACMS tactical missile.

The missiles fired by the “God of Fire” are radar-guided and have a range of about 70 km. Combined with its high mobility, this is an ideal “hit and run” system for targeting enemy weapons storage areas and command posts.

With plans to supply more weapons to Ukraine revealed while in Washington DC, Minister Pistorius sought to convey the message that Germany is taking on greater military responsibilities, including in the defense industry, since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022.

This year, Germany will spend the most on defense since World War II, Pistorius said. “We understand what is at stake. We are paying our share. We cannot just stand by and watch,” the German official said in a speech at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Mr Pistorius, a member of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD), also said he supported Germany restoring "some form of military service".

Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011 under Chancellor Angela Merkel .

Minh Duc (According to Bloomberg, Kyiv Independent)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-duc-toi-my-mua-hoa-than-himars-tang-ukraine-a662945.html