Poland Acquires First HIMARS Systems
Poland Receives First Delivery of M142 HIMARS Multiple Rocket Launchers
Poland has welcomed the first delivery of 20 high-mobility multiple rocket launcher systems M142 HIMARS as ordered from US aerospace and technology firm Lockheed Martin in 2019. During a ceremony held at the Warsaw airbase, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced that the HIMARS launchers will be placed into service of the 16th Mechanized Division in the Varmiya-Mazuria region. Blaszczak also reminded everyone that the US Congress approved the sale of an additional 500 assault systems to Poland in February.
The additional HIMARS systems are slated to arrive in Poland as soon as practical, where they will be mounted onto high-mobility JELCZ trucks. As part of the new contract, Blaszczak envisions the joint production of both rockets and launch pads inside Poland, setting a high target for the ministry.
Blaszczak remarked that a HIMARS training centre would be established near Torun, Poland, a clear signal of the country’s continuing interest in training and development. The minister added that artillery played a crucial role in Ukraine, and thus they plan to increase both artillery units’ and systems’ capacity and capabilities.
At the beginning of May, Blaszczak visited the US, where he revealed that a HIMARS multi-rocket launcher centre shall be established in Poland before 2021’s end. The minister emphasised their desire to develop the centre into a production point, not just for use in Poland but also for other European countries. Negotiations about the HIMARS purchase contract remain ongoing.
