The Australian Defence Force will equip troops with the land-based, long-range, surface-to-surface High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) — including launchers, missiles and training rockets.
The HIMARS system will be in use by 2026-27, Defence Minister Richard Marles said.
The launchers currently have a range of up to 300km, which is expected to increase with technological advances.
They also include a weapon-finding radar to detect and respond to land, air and maritime threats, which is being delivered by Australian company CEA.
The US has delivered a number of HIMARS launchers to Ukraine, where they have been instrumental in the country’s resistance to the ongoing Russian invasion.
The government has also signed a contract with Kongsberg for a quantity of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM), which will be doled out to the Navy’s Hobart Class destroyers and Anzac Class frigates, replacing the ageing Harpoon anti-ship missile on those ships from 2024.
The NSM will provide Royal Australian Navy ships with a powerful maritime strike capability, the government said.
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The missiles will also be delivered with the involvement of Australian industry.
The combined deals are worth more than $1 billion; the specific amount is kept under wraps for security reasons.
“In the current strategic environment, it’s important the Australian Defence Force is equipped with high-end, targeted military capabilities,” Marles said.
He said the NSM and HIMARS would help Australian forces “deter conflict and protect our interests”.
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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the new purchases put Australia on the “cutting edge”.
“The Naval Strike Missile is a major step up in capability for our Navy’s warships, while HIMARS launchers have been successfully deployed by the Ukrainian military over recent months and are a substantial new capability for the Army,” he said.
