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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The United States has strengthened its long-range fire capabilities in the Pacific theater as a Hawaii-based Army unit received the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, which prioritizes long-range precision fires, the 25th Infantry Division—based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii—is set to complete the replacement of howitzers with HIMARS launchers within weeks, the Pentagon announced.
Why It Matters
Amid China's rapid military buildup, the U.S. military has designated the Indo-Pacific as its "priority theater," deploying its most capable units across the region—including land-based missile systems capable of targeting the Chinese navy, now the world's largest by hull count.
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In alignment with the Pacific Ocean's vast maritime expanse, the U.S. Army is undergoing a transformation—divesting "outdated, redundant and inefficient" weapons—to enhance its lethality.
The delivery of HIMARS launchers to the 25th Infantry Division coincides with the U.S. military's simultaneous participation in two large-scale Pacific war games: Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 in Australia and the Air Force's Department-Level Exercise series.
What To Know
Photos released by the 25th Infantry Division show that its first batch of HIMARS launchers was delivered by a C-5 transport aircraft to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Monday.
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The Army infantry unit is scheduled to replace 14 howitzers with 16 HIMARS launchers. According to the Pentagon, this transformation in firepower will enhance the unit's long-range precision strike capability and bolster its warfighting readiness in the Indo-Pacific.
The truck-mounted HIMARS—widely known for its use by Ukraine in its war against Russia—is capable of launching "versatile, accurate, precision-strike munitions" such as rockets and missiles with ranges from 9.3 to over 310 miles and can be rapidly deployed, according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
In comparison, the 105 mm and 155 mm howitzers being phased out by the 25th Infantry Division—both classified as towed artillery systems—have maximum ranges of about 8.5 miles and almost 20 miles, respectively, according to defense outlet the War Zone.
U.S. Army Major General Marcus Evans, the commander of the 25th Infantry Division, said the introduction of the HIMARS would extend the division's operational reach and enhance soldier protection by allowing troops to fire munitions and quickly relocate to safer positions.
A total of 73 soldiers assigned to the 25th Infantry Division are transitioning from operating howitzers to HIMARS, according to the Pentagon. Of those, 27 have trained with the National Guard as part of their effort to learn how to operate the HIMARS on the battlefield.
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What People Are Saying
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote in a memo to senior Pentagon leadership in April: "To build a leaner, more lethal force, the Army must transform at an accelerated pace by divesting outdated, redundant, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and acquisition systems. Simultaneously, the Army must prioritize investments in accordance with the Administration's strategy, ensuring existing resources are prioritized to improve long-range precision fires, air and missile defense including through the Golden Dome for America, cyber, electronic warfare, and counter-space capabilities."
U.S. Army Major General Marcus Evans, the commander of the 25th Infantry Division, said in a news release on Wednesday: "And so now soldiers, instead of working behind a cannon system and towed artillery, they will work with a weapon system that [not only] has increased survivability, but increased operational reach with the range that [HIMARS] have."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen which U.S. military units based in the Pacific theater will be next to undergo a similar transformation to enhance their operational capabilities in the region.
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