Report: Ukraine to Run Out of HIMARS Missiles within Next 3-4 Months | Farsnews Agency

 Ukraine will deplete its stockpile of US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) missiles within the next three to four months amid Russia’s special military operation in the country, Newsweek reported on Friday citing retired US Marine Corps Col. Mark Cancian.
Cancian said he believes that at some point the United States will have to reduce the number of HIMARS missiles supplied to Ukraine to prevent its own stocks from running low and the US civil and military officials will have to come to an agreement on that.

Three to four months is a pretty wild guess and some people have estimated the supplies will last a month or so, the report cited Cancian as saying, who added he does not think the Ukrainians are firing the missiles that fast.

Cancian said his estimate is that the United States has produced about 50,000 guided missiles since 2004, when the production began, with 5,800 to be procured this year alone. At the same time, the Joe Biden administration has provided Ukraine with about a third or 10,000 of HIMARS missiles in US stock.

The colonel also said that manufacturer Lockheed Martin is trying to increase production levels, but it takes time to do so, usually about 18 to 24 months, while the HIMARS launchers are currently not in production.

While it remains unclear how many HIMARS the United States has at the moment, it is known that by 2009 Lockheed Martin produced about 250 units for the Army and Marine Corps, the report said.

According to official data, the United States to date has supplied Ukraine with 16 HIMARS systems and with munition for them.

Earlier in August, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Russian forces have destroyed at least six of the HIMARS launchers and about 200 missiles for them during the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.