“For us, the letter of intent signed today is an agreement of strategic significance,” said Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall AG’s chief executive, via press release.

“The combination of Lockheed Martin’s proven capabilities and extensive know-how with Rheinmetall’s experience in fabrication and production opens unique opportunities for both sides,” he added.

Under the signed deal, both companies will work on potential joint opportunities in research and development, production, and other activities. Earlier this year, Papperger announced that both companies were in discussion to produce the HIMARS in Germany. The recent announcement follows up on this development.

“We have the technology for the production of the warheads as well as for the rocket motors – and we have the trucks to mount the launchers upon,” Papperger said in an interview with Reuters in January.

Bundeswehr’s Rocket Artillery System

The Bundeswehr (German armed forces) currently maintains a rocket artillery system called the MARS II (Multiple Launch Rocket System) that has been in service for over two decades and has provided firepower in numerous missions, including in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led mission in 2018.

While the MARS II is a capable artillery system, it is considered aging. It needs modernization—one reason Germany seeks to acquire the HIMARS system from the US as either a replacement or complement to the MARS II.

The MARS II has been with the German Army since 2017, developed by the German defense company Airbus Defense and Space to replace the MARS I system, which has been in service since the 1970s. Furthermore, it can fire various types of rockets (12 missiles in approximately 60 seconds) up to a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles). A highly mobile system, the MARS II consists of a launcher vehicle, a fire control vehicle, and a resupply vehicle, all capable of being transported by air, land, or sea.

Some explosive projectiles the German-made artillery system can launch include high-explosive, incendiary, and smoke rockets. It also can be used for various missions, including indirect fire support for ground troops, counter-battery fire, and area suppression. However, its range is relatively short compared to the coverage capacity of the HIMARS, which can reach beyond the 300 km (186 mi) range of the MARS II. Moreover, the five-ton armored truck is significantly more versatile, not to mention more mobile than the MARS II, as the former can be transported via a C-130 aircraft, subsequently making it more suitable for rapid deployment to remote or austere locations.

In addition to about 38 MARS II in its arsenal, Bundeswehr also maintains a couple more variety of artillery systems, including over a hundred tracked-mounted chassis PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers with a maximum range of up to 40 km (25 mi) and more than 80 M120 120mm Mortars that has an effective range of up to 7 km (4.35 mi).

In-Demand

Since the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February last year, the sale request for Lockheed’s HIMARS has been higher than ever.

Apart from Germany, countries such as Estonia, Latvia, and Poland, which are all situated near the borders of the warring nations, have likewise ordered the sophisticated American rocket artillery system. With HIMARS, these countries seek to ramp up their deterrence against potential aggression while enhancing their respective military power.

Meanwhile, the US Army requested information in September last year from potential defense contractors to manufacture up to 500 HIMARS systems in a five-year contract, with an expected delivery date of 2028. A month later, Lockheed announced it would increase its production rate by over 50 due to heightened demand, as POLITICO previously reported.

HIMARS rose to renewed spotlight when it arrived in Ukraine last year and has since changed the course of the war against Russia.

With its strike precision and highly mobile capabilities, Ukrainian troops were able to conduct significant counteroffensives, hitting dozens of Russian targets such as bridges, command posts, and ammunition depots from miles away. As a result, Ukraine was able to hold its ground during significant campaigns and retake areas that Russia had occupied early in the war.

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