PUBLISHED ONJune 19, 2026 9:36 AMBYSean LerSingapore has received approval from the US to upgrade its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in a deal estimated to be worth US$73 million (S$94 million).
The US Department of State said in a press statement that Singapore had requested to purchase 18 common fire control system upgrade kits for its HIMARS.
The kits will include support equipment, technical documentation, spare parts, training and support services such as in logistics and programming.
"This proposed sale will improve Singapore's capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing and extending its Army's ability to conduct operations and enable effective training. Singapore will have no difficulty absorbing this training into its armed forces," the statement read.
A fire control system can be likened to the "brain" of the artillery rocket system. It typically comprises an integrated set of sensors, computational hardware, and software algorithms used to calculate and apply the correct aiming and firing solution for the weapon system.
In approving the sale, the State Department said the deal will also enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by improving the security of a strategic partner that is "an important force for political stability and economic progress in Asia".
It added that the upgrade will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated that the land-based precision strike asset has been in service with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) since 2010.
"As the SAF continues its modernisation efforts, the HIMARS remains a critical component of its operational capabilities, and will undergo upgrades to ensure it remains capable of meeting evolving operational and training requirements in the years ahead," the spokesperson said.
Commissioned by then-Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen in 2011, Mindef said in a factsheet that the HIMARS carries a single pod of six 227mm surface-to-surface guided rockets.
It is capable of striking targets as far as 70km away.
SAF has also equipped its HIMARS with the battlefield management system which enables it to conduct integrated and networked operations with other fighting assets.
At Exercise Wallaby 2025 in October last year, the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery conducted the HIMARS live firing to assess its ability to deliver precise long-range strikes.
The air-land integrated live firing was supported by multiple drones with tactical mapping abilities, as well as the RSAF's F-16 fighter aircraft and AH-64D attack helicopters.
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