The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System mounted on a standard M1140 truck frame. Poland has sent an official request to buy American...
The country announced this summer that it had decided to go the direct Foreign Military Sales route and buy the HIMARS systems from the U.S. government, much like Romania did earlier this year to speed up the acquisition and also to lower the cost of the purchase. Romania is the first eastern European country to buy HIMARS. Poland would become the second. Both countries, as well as the rest of eastern Europe, are working to beef up their air defenses to deter what they perceive as Russian aggression in the region following the country’s annexation of Crimea.
The U.S. State Department cleared a possible $250 million sale in November 2017 for 56 HIMARS launchers. Lockheed announced several years ago it will restart its HIMARS production line to build new launchers for the United Arab Emirates, but since then the company has seen a growing interest, particularly in eastern Europe, as well as an interest to incorporate the launchers into plans to extend cannon artillery ranges for the U.S. Army.
HIMARS uses Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System munitions and Army Tactical Missile System guided ammunition, capable of targeting up to 300 kilometers. The Polish Ministry of Defence noted in its announcement that the HIMARS system will allow for deep rocket strikes, which is an extremely important element of the implementation of the modernization plans for the Polish Armed Forces. Poland also plans to buy missiles as well as a logistics and training package to go along with the rocket launchers.
The next step, according to the ministry is to negotiate a draft agreement with the U.S. government. Poland also entered into an official agreement this year to buy Patriot air-and-missile defense systems from the U.S. in a more complex deal to include the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, which is not yet fielded by the U.S. Army.