Estonia to buy U.S. rocket artillery system in $200M deal

HELSINKI (AP) — NATO member and Russia’s neighbor Estonia is boosting its defense capabilities by acquiring an advanced U.S. rocket artillery system. Estonian defense officials said Saturday that a deal with the U.S. worth more than $200 million is the Baltic country’s largest arms procurement project ever. The deal for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS, includes training, ammunition and rockets with a range pf 70-300 kilometers (43-186 miles), according to the Estonian Center for Defense Investment. Estonia’s Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania either have or are currently in the process of acquiring their own HIMARS. Washington has provided Ukraine with the rocket launchers during Russia’s invasion of the country.