US Deploys M142 HIMARS in "Yudh Abhyas 2024" Exercise, Eyes Possible Sale to Indian Army

The annual India-U.S. bilateral Army exercise, "Yudh Abhyas 2024," kicked off at the Mahajan field firing ranges in Rajasthan on September 9th. This year's exercise boasts an extensive range of military activities, including live-fire drills and various training exercises.

Notably, the U.S. Army contingent participating in the exercise has brought Stryker infantry vehicles and, more significantly, the M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System).

This deployment of HIMARS in India represents a major development, given the U.S.'s keen interest in selling this advanced weapon system to the Indian Army.

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the HIMARS is a truck-mounted, mobile rocket launcher capable of carrying six missiles at once. It has garnered global attention, with several European nations placing orders. Additionally, the U.S. has recently revealed plans to supply HIMARS to Indo-Pacific nations, including Taiwan.

The inclusion of HIMARS in the Yudh Abhyas exercise offers India a valuable opportunity to gain firsthand experience with this cutting-edge system and evaluate its potential integration into its own military arsenal.

Furthermore, the exercise serves as a vital platform for bolstering interoperability between the Indian and U.S. armies and fortifying their bilateral military cooperation.

 

[R. Singh]

We need HIMARs, PAC-III, THAAD TOMAHAWK, F-35 JSF, F-35B to counter China PAK combine !

 

[sanket]

HIMARs Failed to make any impact in Ukraine war, its all Buisiness LM is very Much desparate to sell its products First F-16V Second THAAD /NASAM & Now HIMARs

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Instead of strykers, buy few units of HIMARS from US.

 

[sanket]

Instead of strykers, buy few units of HIMARS from US.

waste of Money buying HIMARs / Strykers

 

[abhinav srivastava]

waste of Money buying HIMARs / Strykers

The way stryker is pushed, looks like US wants some sort of compensation for jet deal. Among stryker and HIMARS, I chose HIMARS because we don't have rockets of that range .

 

[M S ChatterjiVerified member]

India build its own instead of paying triple the price for imports.

 

[Akshat]

India build its own instead of paying triple the price for imports.

Own equipment made by DPSUs actually cost much more than imports 😂😂😂

 

[Ray]

US wants some sort of compensation for jet deal

Then buy more chinooks, romeos, apache (only with longbow radar), p-8i.
We really don't need junk like himars and stryker etc...

 

[Anonymus]

Then buy more chinooks, romeos, apache (only with longbow radar), p-8i.
We really don't need junk like himars and stryker etc...

That junk has range from 6 km to 499 km with gos guidance it will bost are attack capabilities.

 

[Bhishma]

Own equipment made by DPSUs actually cost much more than imports 😂😂😂

Even if it costs 2X, we need to go local. Only a short sighted person will not be able to see the benefits of going local. Why ? Thats how economies are built. They will have cascading effect on the whole economy, leading to increased GDP, increased tax collection, export potential, job creation. See how mining towns are built. Just one mining company can create an entire town. If we create the local industries, eventually it come back as higher budgetary allocation.

 

[Bhishma]

how is Himars different from Pinaka?

 

[Kira]

A very good weapon system just like the Patriot or THAAD,but just like them it would be too costly and India itself is slowly developing precise long range rocket artillery anyway.

 

[Sridhar]

how is Himars different from Pinaka?

Range and technology.

 

[Vipul Verma]

We as a Nation already manufacturing much advanced & capable MLRS Pinaka - mk1, mk2 & mk3 must reject Himars. India is also developing a 350 kms extended range MLRS. We have surged ahead of NATO nations both in MLRS systems and howitzers. DRDO has also been constantly working on hitech BMD systems and within next 10-12 yrs we will race far ahead of both Americans & Europeans in BMDs as well. In surface Warships India is already ahead of Europeans just behind USA & Chinese. With exception of Aircraft Carriers that is very expensive proposition India will move ahead of both in next 10-12 yrs. In submarines India is now working to execute ambitious Project 75, 75i, 76 & 77 for construction of advanced conventional & Nuclear powered submarines (both SSBN & SSN). India lags only in jet engine technology that is hampering it's fighter jet programs.
Hence India must commit additional funds towards multiple engine programs both indigenously & simultaneous program in collaboration on mission mode basis, rather than wasting funds on not required foreign weapon systems.

 

[Aayush Pratap]

Wouldn't be a bad idea buying some as a stop gap while we develop long range MBRLs. It will give the bat eaters a moment of pause.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

how is Himars different from Pinaka?

It has bigger diameter, has gps guidance and longer range. Plus a large variety of ammo like smerch mlrs.imo it's not very tough to build this type of rocket.

 

[desigandu]

The Americans seem to be wooing India as its latest girlfriend…Seems good for now but Bharat must be vary as marriage with America via a military alliance will not be good for our strategic autonomy and long term prosperity…

Bharat and America both need each other but must not marry into a military alliance which can pull us into others/their wars, which we can’t afford - see Australia, UK etc., which have gotten screwed by becoming allies, but they did not have much choice given the Soviet and now Chinese threats…

As long as Bharat can rapidly grow its economy and invest in its Military we can keep China at bay ourselves, by hyping the Chinese threat, decoupling supply chains, making west dependent on Bharat, and keeping west wary/paranoid of China…also but we must avoid fighting China via enhanced deterrence, control of choke points, balkanising Pakistan and Bangladesh, as necessary…a destroyed China and a weakened US with a Taiwan strait war by 2035, could make Bharat an automatic superpower…

In fact we must arm enough countries so they can go to war with China including the US, so all parties are screwed, while we remain outside of it, thereby increasing Bharat’s relative national comprehensive power…let them fight and destroy each other, while we supply munitions, repair, moral support, and develop economically etc…

Arthashastra teaches us a lot and we must follow our dharma on becoming powerful but without waging war…We will fight if necessary and only for our self interest…

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

Purchase a few units and then under transfer of technology or own designs and improvements build over 20 -30 regiments to deploy with the field artillery .

 

[swatkats_razor]

Instead of strykers, buy few units of HIMARS from US.

While we are at it, how about recruiting a few thousand GI-Joes as well?

With imported weaponse and imported army, at least we will be able to pretend, we are Saudi Arabia.

 

[Ranjeet Singh]

We need HIMARS, PAC-III, THAAD and Tomahawk systems from USA to counter China ! We can't trust S-400 due to its performance to protect Russia from NATO missiles !