Synopsis
The US Army has deployed advanced rocket artillery to Latvia as part of a Latvian national exercise. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, arrived in Latvia on 26 September to participate in Exercise Silver Arrow 22. The launchers were picked up from Germany by U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II transport aircraft based in the United Kingdom; they then flew to Liepāja Airport on the country’s western coast.
HIMARS gives NATO the ability to conduct powerful long-range precision strikes, and the US Army regularly deploys the system to the Baltics to train alongside NATO Allies. In recent years, US Special Operations Command Europe (US SOCEUR) has practised rapidly deploying the system via the UK-based Commando II transports. Should a crisis occur, they will be able to rush HIMARS launchers nearly anywhere in Europe on short notice.
Footage includes shots of HIMARS rolling off a US MC-130J Commando II transport aircraft before live-firing across the Baltic Sea during exercise Silver Arrow.
Transcript
---SHOTLIST—
FOOTAGE COURTESY LATVIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – UNITED STATES MC-130J COMMANDO II AIRCRAFT LANDING AT LIEPĀJA AIRFIELD, LATVIA
(00:12) VARIOUS SHOTS - UNITED STATES MC-130J COMMANDO II AIRCRAFT TAXIING ON RUNWAY AT LIEPĀJA AIRFIELD
(00:24) WIDE SHOT – UNITED STATES MC-130J COMMANDO II AICRAFT REAR RAMP OPENING
(00:31) VARIOUS SHOTS - M142 HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM, OR HIMARS, ROLLING OFF THE AIRCRAFT
(00:56) VARIOUS SHOTS - UNITED STATES C-130 SAT ON RUNWAY WITH ENGINES RUNNING
(01:03) VARIOUS SHOTS – LATVIAN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS IN POLARIS TACTICAL VEHICLES DRIVE TO AIRCRAFT
(01:16) VARIOUS SHOTS – US TROOPS STAND ON TOP OF AN M142 HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM
(01:33) MEDIUM SHOT – LATVIAN NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS STANDING ON RUNWAY NEXT TO AIRCRAFT
(01:36) CLOSE SHOT – LATVIAN NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER SITS IN POLARIS TACTICAL VEHICLE NEXT TO AIRCRAFT
(01:39) VARIOUS SHOTS – M142 HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM LIVE-FIRING ACROSS THE BALTIC SEA DURING EXERCISE SILVER ARROW
(02:08) VARIOUS SHOTS - M142 HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM ENDS LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE
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