Australia expands long-range fires with second HIMARS regiment

Australia has announced an investment to procure a second HIMARS regiment. (Commonwealth of Australia)

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 27 April that it will invest AUD2.3 billion (USD1.7 billion) over the next decade to establish a second long‑range fires regiment, equipped with Lockheed Martin M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 1 (Inc 1).

The DoD said the systems will be delivered to the Edinburgh Defence Precinct in South Australia following a competitive evaluation process. However, the department did not disclose the number of HIMARS launchers to be procured for the second regiment.

According to the DoD, the decision aligns with Australia's 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS), which calls for an expansion of the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) long‑range strike capabilities.

The DoD said the additional long‑range fires regiment, to be based at Edinburgh, will enable the ADF to engage targets at ranges of up to 500 km, extending beyond 1,000 km with future increments of PrSM.

“This [procurement] will increase our capacity to respond effectively to contingencies in our region and work with our allies and partners,” the DoD said. It added that the second regiment will complement the Australian Army's existing HIMARS capability by providing a highly mobile, long‑range strike system aligned with Australia's strategic and operational requirements.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the procurement expands Australia's inventory of land‑based long‑range fires, providing the ADF with a deployable strike capability to protect Australia's northern approaches and contribute to sea control and sea denial.