Poland to receive the first HIMARS in May
5 May, 2023 GMLRS rocket launch from the HIMARS MRL. Photo credits: U.S. Army
The first HIMARS will be delivered to Poland in May. Mariusz Blaszczak, Minister of Defense of Poland, made the announcement. The head of the Polish Ministry of Defense began a visit to the United States on May 4.
He met, in particular, with representatives of the Lockheed Martin company, which produces M142 HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. According to the results of the meeting, Blaszczak said that the first systems would arrive in Poland already this year. These HIMARS were ordered back in 2019.
According to the first contract, Poland should receive 20 systems.
Mariusz Blaszczak met with representatives of Lockheed Martin, May 2023. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland
The rocket systems will enter the service of the 18th mechanized division of the Polish army, which is responsible for the defense of the so-called Suwalki Gap - this is the territory that simultaneously connects the territory of the Baltic countries with Poland and the rest of the NATO countries, and also separates the territory of the Russian Kaliningrad region and Belarus. "I have great news, the first systems will be in Poland already in mid-May," Mariusz Blaszczak said.
He added that Polish military personnel who would work with HIMARS had already undergone appropriate training in the United States. "In a very short time we will have at our disposal a weapon that has proven itself in Ukraine. In the hands of Ukrainians, these weapons make it possible to effectively repel Russian attacks," the Minister of Defense of Poland emphasized.
Production of HIMARS at Lockheed Martin, May 2023.
Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland
During the meeting with the management of Lockheed Martin, Blaszczak also discussed the joint production of HIMARS systems and the production of Javelin anti-tank missiles in Poland. According to him, in this regard, the American corporation is ready to cooperate with the Polish defense industry. A HIMARS service and production center may also be established in Poland.
The country could also become a maintenance center for U.S. artillery rocket systems, including those stationed in Europe and used by U.S. forces as well as allies.
M142 HIMARS rocket systems of the 321st Field Artillery Regiment.
2016. The USA. Photo credits: army.mil
As previously reported, in February 2023, the U.S.
Department of Defense informed Congress of selling 18 HIMARS systems and missiles to Poland. The order also provides for the supply of 468 sets of launcher modules, which will be integrated on the Polish chassis. Thus, as part of the second order, the Polish armed forces will receive 486 launchers.
The contract covers the supply of launch systems and ammunition, including ATACMS missiles with an estimated cost of £10 billion.