The U.S. State Department has given Canada the green light to potentially purchase 26 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.4 billion, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The approval by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency is the first major hurdle in the process for the Canadian Army to acquire the Lockheed Martin-built system, which gained a lot of public attention a few years ago as Ukraine sought to get its own rocket-propelled artillery to defend against the Russian invasion.

The deal still requires Congressional approval in Washington and for the Canadian government to negotiate a contract with the manufacturers, something that is not expected until next year. U.S. lawmakers have 15 days to object to the sale aft

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