STOCKHOLM — Sweden has authorized the purchase of the U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) as part of a major effort to strengthen the country’s long-range military capabilities and deepen defence cooperation with Finland.

The Swedish government announced on September 7 that the Swedish Armed Forces will acquire HIMARS at an estimated cost of around SEK 7 billion. The first deliveries are expected in 2027, with the purchase financed through the armed forces’ existing investment framework.

Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said the introduction of rocket artillery would give Sweden the ability to operate across larger areas and at substantially longer ranges than some of its current artillery capabilities.

The HIMARS system is manufactured by U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin. Sweden says the new capability will complement existing systems such as its Archer artillery and grenade launchers rather than replace them.

The decision is also closely connected to Sweden’s growing military relationship with neighbouring Finland. Jonson and Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen signed a joint declaration covering cooperation on rocket-artillery capabilities.

The agreement includes potential cooperation in training, education, capability development, maintenance, security of supply and production. Finland already operates the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, which uses ammunition and some components compatible with HIMARS.

The two countries say the cooperation could improve their ability to maintain and develop long-range artillery capabilities while strengthening the defence of northern Europe.

There is also an industrial component to the announcement. Lockheed Martin and Swedish defence company Saab are preparing cooperation concerning the potential integration of Saab’s Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) and ammunition production for HIMARS and other systems, including Patriot air defence.

Independent reporting by Reuters confirmed that Sweden’s HIMARS procurement is valued at approximately $729 million, based on the exchange rate cited in its report.

The purchase forms part of Sweden’s broader Total Defence Bill 2025–2030, under which Stockholm is substantially increasing military and civil-defence capabilities. Sweden joined NATO in 2024, and its government has increasingly emphasized interoperability with allied forces.

The latest decision therefore combines three priorities: expanding Sweden’s long-range precision-fire capability, improving defence cooperation with Finland and strengthening compatibility and supply arrangements with NATO partners.