Sweden to buy US rocket system in $729 million deal

Sweden has finalized a deal to buy Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS rocket artillery system, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced Monday, with deliveries set to begin in 2027.

The contract covers roughly 10 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems along with ammunition, valued at about 7 billion Swedish kronor ($728.8 million), Jonson told reporters. Ammunition for the launchers will be manufactured in Sweden by Saab, working in cooperation with Lockheed Martin.

The deal follows a broader Foreign Military Sale the U.S. State Department approved for Sweden in March, covering up to 20 HIMARS launchers, more than 200 combined pods of guided rockets and Army Tactical Missile System munitions, and supporting equipment, in a package valued at up to $930 million. Sweden’s finalized purchase of roughly 10 systems represents a smaller initial buy than that full approved package, though it remains unclear whether Stockholm plans to order additional launchers later.

HIMARS carries a single pod that can fire six rockets or one longer-range missile, using the same family of munitions as the tracked M270 system. It can be loaded onto a C-130 transport aircraft and flown into position, then fire and relocate quickly before enemy artillery can return fire, a tactic often called “shoot and scoot.” Ukraine’s use of the system against Russian forces, striking targets beyond the range of most conventional artillery, has driven a wave of new orders from European and other allied militaries over the past two years.

Sweden’s neighbor Norway went a different direction. Norway requested pricing information on up to 16 HIMARS systems in 2024 but ultimately chose South Korea’s K239 Chunmoo rocket system instead, partnering with Norwegian firm Kongsberg on that deal. Other countries have moved ahead with Lockheed’s system: the U.S. approved new or additional HIMARS orders for Australia, Bahrain and Canada in 2025, and Estonia has said it intends to pursue further purchases as well.

Lockheed Martin increased its annual HIMARS production capacity from 60 to 96 launchers in 2024 to keep pace with rising international demand, and the company holds a separate $1.13 billion U.S. Army contract for full-rate production of 17 launchers supporting the Army, Marine Corps and foreign buyers including Australia, Canada, Estonia, Sweden and Taiwan, with work scheduled to run through April 2028.

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