U.S. Army HIMARS Summit 2023

GRAFENWOHR, GERMANY – European High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Summit is a V Corps event hosted Aug 1-3.

This initiative aims to discuss with NATO countries the utilization, operation, and maintenance of the M142 HIMARS, an air-transportable, wheeled, rocket-launcher-mounted medium tactical vehicle.

The HIMARS Summit is a collaboration between the U.S. and NATO Countries to improve each nation’s operability and sustainment of HIMARS. V Corps’ commitment is to develop and educate on the capabilities of HIMARS, increasing the operability and lethality of NATO countries.

Each participating NATO country is educated on the specifications of HIMARS, including operation, transportation, and maintenance. U.S. Army Soldiers demonstrate how HIMARS is transported using a replica C-130 as a reference and any maintenance needed while in action.

“European HIMARS initiative operation is for training and sustainment, part of V Corps’ initiative focus on our allies and partners is to develop their capability and capacity for HIMARS,” said U.S. Army Col. Wilbur Hsu, commander of 41st Field Artillery Brigade. “Increasing our operability and most importantly a system to go through their new equipment training and feeling of the HIMARS.”

HIMARS is air-transportable with six rockets mounted to a medium tactical vehicle. That configuration demonstrates capacity for mobility and lethality.

“It is a wheel-based platform that has six rockets on the back, and it’s extremely mobile, and it’s able to engage targets up to 300 kilometers,” said Hsu.

The HIMARS Summit is not specifically focused on firepower or lethality but on how to sustain such weapons, the interoperability between partner nations, knowledge of the weapon’s capabilities, and using it to its full potential.

“When we look at new weapons technology, the most important things are understanding their role in the greater system,” said Hsu, “HIMARS is not just about the rocket system or the rocket launcher itself in that vehicle, it’s about all the sustainment, communications, intelligence and sensors that are needed to make it capable.”

HIMARS Summit is committed to educating partner nations on the capabilities of HIMARS and providing training to respond more effectively and efficiently in sustaining, operating, and employing the HIMARS to deter potential adversaries.

“Educate and talk to our partners and allies about the options, the sensors, and the other capabilities that ensure they can train, operate, employ, and sustain the HIMAR system,” said Hsu.

“This event will upskill partnered nations on “the sustainment and how we operate in the army on a total level,” said Warrant Officer Michael Wilson with the 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment. “The way we operate forward, the way we sustain, the experiences we gain from operating HIMARS and all the equipment that comes with it.”

Partnered nations are committed to sustainment and maintenance. They’ve brought immense energy to the HIMARS Summit. With our collective knowledge, U.S. and NATO countries in partnership can create increased stability and security in response to potential adversaries.

“What I’ve taken away from this summit is how energetic all these countries are and all the leadership here and how they are so knowledgeable,” said Wilson. “It’s really nice to see that they take sustainment and maintenance so seriously and are a captive audience. It’s really great to be in partnership with these NATO countries.”

V Corps successfully hosted HIMARS Summit to strengthen and build relationships with NATO countries for better readiness, capability and interoperability. After the event, U.S. and NATO countries are better prepared to deter possible adversaries and sustain and use HIMARS to its full potential.