Slovakia, which recently announced plans to purchase additional F-16s to replace MiG-29s transferred to Ukraine, also has plans to procure other American weapons specifically the M142 HIMARS rocket system and long-range missiles for them, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák reported. He discussed American weapons supply issues with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week.
According to Kaliňák, quoted by Dennik N, more serious negotiations [regarding F-16 and HIMARS procurement] will begin within four to five months. As of today, the quantity of launchers and missiles for them, as well as which specific missiles Slovakia plans to procure, remains unknown.
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Options currently exist to order either ER GMLRS missiles with 150km range or the PrSM ballistic missile with 500km range, which is 200km more than ATACMS. However, it was previously reported that PrSM would not be ready for export until 2027, so there appears to be a queue forming.
Overall, Slovakia will be purchasing rocket systems without conducting a competition. At the same time, it can be assumed they will also negotiate with the U.S. regarding preferential payment terms or financing for ordered weapons, as Kaliňák emphasized that the country should have no problems paying for defense procurements, with a timeframe of 6 to 10 years.
It is also worth noting that Slovakia is choosing HIMARS, genuinely a bestseller among rocket systems. At the same time, it should be noted that its competitors are gaining popularity in Europe — the South Korean K239 Chunmoo MLRS and the Israeli PULS.
For example, at the end of last year, Greece finally decided to purchase the PULS rocket system from Elbit Systems, becoming the fifth customer for this weapon in Europe. Norway definitively chose the South Korean K239 Chunmoo from Hanwha, which in competition surpassed both the American HIMARS and the Israeli PULS.
Norway became the third K239 Chunmoo customer in Europe after Poland and Estonia. The latter, incidentally, after purchasing six HIMARS units, then ordered the South Korean K239 Chunmoo MLRS system due to significant American rocket system delivery timelines. Subsequently, it also announced plans to order additional HIMARS reasoning that there cannot be too many rocket systems.
Ultimately, it is worth mentioning that France is considering K239 Chunmoo procurement instead of making its own HIMARS analog, as this may ultimately prove irrelevant by the time they produce their own, everyone in Europe will have already purchased other analogs, leaving no customers for their model.
Previously, Defense Express reported that while russia was again rolling out its HIMARS analog, M270A2 fired ER GMLRS missiles with alternative warheads for the first time.
Read more: russia Creates Robotic Cultivator MLRS with UB-16 Rocket Pods, Similar Solution Ukraine Deployed in 2023
