TAPA, Estonia—Soldiers from Task Force Voit, part of the 4th Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, stood ready with their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to support the 1st Cavalry Division in a joint NATO live-fire exercise.
“The early morning was thick with fog,” said British Army Lt. Rob Coombs, an observer with the 132nd Battery, Royal Artillery, Royal Dragoon Guards Battlegroup.
The small contingent of military observers from the host nation and the United Kingdom watched as the Soldiers continued their ammunition staging activities and system checks on the HIMARS systems that have been the subject of international interest since the presence of U.S. rotational forces in the Baltic states increased over the past several years.
The precision of the crews preparing their HIMARS for action was the culmination of many months of training. The fog, though dense, was merely a variable in the mission.
“Working with the HIMARS system is a lot of fun,” said U.S. Army Spc. Nicolas Johnson, a High Mobility Rocket System crewmember with Task Force Voit. “You get to fire big rockets out of it.”
When the first rocket launched, the NATO observers watched as it vanished into the clouds in a stream of light and smoke. A moment or two later, the launcher readjusted its position, angling to strike again after confirmation of a successful hit.
The live-fire exercise provided a venue for NATO partners to witness the power and effectiveness of the system.
“We are certifying and qualifying two new fire control chiefs, and they will be able to show people the ways of the HIMARS,” said Cpl. Lindsay Rivera, a fire direction control specialist with Task Force Voit. “We had a HIMARS Academy recently, where we taught Lithuanian, Estonian, and Latvian crews how to work in a fire direction center and how to operate a HIMARS.”
Rivera worked as part of the Academy team that highlighted the broader scope of the exercise —strengthening alliances and passing on critical skills.
“All were impressed with the capability of the HIMARS platform and look forward to continued collaboration with NATO member states,” Coombs said.