The first HIMARS rocket artillery launchers are already in Poland! The remaining of the 20 contracted launchers are to be delivered by the end of the year. On the wPolityce.pl website, we publish photos of launchers located at Warsaw’s Okęcie Airport, where they are awaiting official approval.
At noon, Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak will participate in the ceremony of the delivery of the first HIMARS for the Polish Army to Poland at the 1st Airlift Base in Warsaw.
In 2019, the Ministry of National Defense ordered 20 launchers, including two training launchers, of the M142 HIMARS multi-guided rocket artillery launch system and associated equipment. The value of the contract was USD 414 million. Along with the launchers, the Polish side ordered GMLRS combat ammunition with a range of about 70 km and ATACMS with a range of up to 300 km and training ammunition (LCRRPR), command vehicles and technical security vehicles. The agreement also provides logistics, training and technical support.
The entire squadron fire module ordered is transferred to the 16th Mechanized Division.
READ MORE: Important Information! Deputy Prime Minister Błaszczak: The first HIMARS long-range rocket artillery launchers will be in Poland on May 15!
Since last year, deliveries of other elements of the squadron’s equipment have been underway, including technical support vehicles and combat equipment.
The Ministry of National Defense noted that the build-up of the capability to attack targets several hundred kilometers away will be supported not only by purchases of this category of armaments from South Korea, but also by orders for more HIMARSs. Polish industry will participate in the program by supplying vehicles from 4×4 to 8×8, unmanned aerial vehicles and radars.
Launchers ordered in 2019 will be mounted on US Oshkosh trucks. As the ministry assures, they will also eventually be mounted on Jelcz chassis, as will the Korean M239 Chunmoo and other HIMARS launchers, which the Ministry of National Defense plans to purchase. Launchers from the US and Korea will be integrated with the WB Group’s Polish Topaz battle management system.
The introduction of long-range rocket artillery, which has been foreseen for many years in the modernization plans of the Polish army, has been included in the Homar programme. Initially it was assumed that the system would be developed by domestic factories, later that it would be licensed production. In 2019, a contract was signed for the delivery of the HIMARS system.
A year ago, the Department of National Defense asked the US to bid for an additional 500 systems (the US military had 410 of these systems before handing them over to Ukraine). Due to the needs of the US and other interested countries and the time required to complete such an order, Poland contracted for 218 Chunmoo launchers from South Korea for US$3.55 billion.
In February this year The US authorities responded to the Polish request for proposals and agreed to the possible sale of an additional 488 launchers with ammunition with a range of 300 km, test kits, computer and communications equipment, training and systems integration support.
M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a highly mobile long range rocket artillery system produced by Lockheed Martin. Unlike the MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System which is mounted on a tracked chassis, HIMARS uses a wheeled chassis. HIMARS and MARS were among the types of weapons with which the West supported Ukraine.
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce