US approves US$73 million rocket artillery upgrade sale to Singapore

US approves US$73 million rocket artillery upgrade sale to Singapore The proposed sale of 18 Common Fire Control System upgrade kits for the M142 HIMARS “will not alter the basic military balance in the region”, says the US State Department. SINGAPORE: The United States has approved Singapore's request to upgrade its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) in a deal estimated to be worth US$73 million. In a press release on Monday (Jun 15), the US State Department said Singapore had requested to purchase 18 Common Fire Control Systems (CFCS) upgrade kits for the rocket artillery system. According to defence industry publications, the CFCS uses digital processing to control launchers and manage weapons, improving targeting accuracy and overall operational effectiveness. “The HIMARS is a land-based precision strike asset that has been in service with the Singapore Armed Forces since 2010,” said Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on Friday in response to CNA queries. “As the Singapore Armed Forces 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 proposed sale includes support equipment, technical documentation, spare parts, training, US government and contractor technical support, engineering and logistics support services and field office support. The US State Department said the decision to sell the upgrade kits “will not alter the basic military balance in the region”. However, it will improve the capability of Singapore, which Washington sees as a “strategic partner that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Asia”, to meet future and current threats. According to MINDEF's website, the HIMARS launcher typically fires six 227mm surface-to-surface guided rockets capable of striking targets as far as 70km away. Each rocket carries a 90kg controlled fragmentation high explosive unitary warhead. It requires less than 20 seconds to be prepared for firing, and a full launcher load of six rockets can be fired within 45 seconds. Monday’s approval follows another HIMARS-related purchase announced by MINDEF in April. The ministry then confirmed it was acquiring M30A2 GMLRS Alternative Warhead pods for the system, in a deal the US State Department estimated to be worth about US$83.1 million. In March 2025, then-Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the Singapore Army's HIMARS launcher, which has been in service since 2010, would be upgraded to more capable rockets. On the sale of the HIMARS upgrade kits to Singapore, the State Department said the deal would have "no adverse impact on US defence readiness". The HIMARS is currently being used by Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, and was deployed by the US in its recent war against Iran.