U.S. Army divsions such Hawaii’s 25th Infantry Division, are switching to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to improve combat effectiveness.
Though it was originally invented and used in the 17th century, the howitzer didn’t make it to the U.S. until the mid-1800s, when the Army needed a small and lightweight cannon. This scary weapon of war became a staple of military conflict in the decades that followed, but the U.S. Army is now replacing it, at least in some parts of the world.
The Army is phasing out the howitzer in favor of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The announcement came from the Department of Defense in mid-July 2025, as the next step of the Army Transformation Initiative. Hawaii’s 25th Infantry Division, also known as « Tropic Lightning », will utilize the weapons as replacements for the howitzers it currently uses.
