U.S. Approves $1.75 Billion HIMARS Sale to Canada to Strengthen Military and NATO Defense Ties
The U.S. State Department approved a potential foreign military sale of 26 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Canada at an estimated cost of $1.75 billion. The package includes 26 HIMARS launchers and a deep magazine of precision rockets and missiles: 132 M31A2 GMLRS Unitary pods, 132 M30A2 GMLRS Alternative Warhead pods, 32 M403 Extended-Range GMLRS AW pods, 32 M404 ER-GMLRS Unitary pods, and 64 M57 ATACMS missile pods. In addition, the sale comes with a broad support package: practice rocket pods, technical manuals, integration and contractor logistics support, spare parts, tool kits, test equipment, training and training equipment, secure radios (AN/PRC-160/167), intercoms, cryptographic loaders, and other elements of logistics and program support. Lockheed Martin (Grand Prairie, TX) is designated the prime contractor for the deal. The HIMARS sale to Canada is one of the largest U.S. defense exports to Canada in recent years and will significantly enhance Canada’s long-range precision firepower.
By U.S. law the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) briefed Congress on this approved sale. DSCA noted that the HIMARS system will enhance Canada’s ability to address current and future threats by enabling long-range precision strikes. Equipping Canada with HIMARS will enhance Canada’s military capability as a NATO Ally, thereby strengthening its role in hemispheric defense and NATO deterrence in Europe. The State Department emphasizes that this capability strengthens collective defense without altering any regional military balance. In practical terms, HIMARS provides Canada with a networked, mobile rocket artillery system that fires GMLRS and ATACMS munitions out to a range of over 300 km, filling a critical gap in its capabilities.
Strategically, the deal aligns with Canada’s own defense modernization goals. Canada’s 2023 Defence Policy Update explicitly calls for new long-range missile capabilities. In March 2025 Ottawa identified HIMARS as part of its Long Range Precision Strike program, though earlier U.S.-Canada trade tensions had temporarily delayed such purchases. The renewed approval signals the resolution of those issues and Canada’s commitment to military modernization. HIMARS has proven highly effective in recent conflicts (Ukraine), and adding it will be a “major upgrade to Canada’s artillery forces.” The system’s interoperability with NATO networks and digital command systems further integrates Canadian units with allied forces.
This transaction also underscores the depth of U.S.-Canada military relations. As a major U.S. defense export to a close partner, the sale reflects long-standing cooperation – from NORAD to NATO – between the two militaries. The HIMARS sale to Canada strengthens an already robust bilateral security partnership and bolsters Canada’s military modernization.