Overview
- On September 30, the State Department approved a possible sale to Australia of 48 M142 HIMARS launchers and related equipment valued at $705 million.
- On October 1, a separate approval authorized a possible sale to Canada of M142 HIMARS systems and associated equipment worth $1.75 billion.
- The Pentagon publicly reported both decisions, describing them as State Department approvals for potential Foreign Military Sales.
- The notifications do not constitute finalized contracts or delivery schedules but allow the proposed transactions to proceed through the FMS process.
- U.S. statements cite security rationales, noting Australia’s role as a strategic ally in the western Pacific and Canada’s contributions to collective defense in the Western Hemisphere and deterrence in Europe.