Poland plans to purchase more than 100 HIMARS

Poland is preparing to start negotiations to purchase more than 100 HIMARS missile launchers under a framework agreement with the US defense company Lockheed Martin.

General Artur Kuptel, head of the Polish Armament Agency under the Ministry of National Defense, stated this in an interview with Reuters.

Poland currently has a framework agreement for 486 units, signed in September last year.

According to Kuptel, the first contract under this agreement will be for more than 100 launchers for the needs of the Polish army.

“In the near future, we will start negotiations on the first contract for the acquisition of HOMAR-A,” the General said, referring to the Polish designation for the M142 HIMARS system.

Kuptel also noted that before starting negotiations on purchasing new HIMARS, the agency needs to finish negotiations related to similar missile systems ordered from South Korea.

This refers to the K239 Chunmoo launchers, called HOMAR-K in the Polish army and based on the domestic Jelcz truck.

The head of the Polish Armaments Agency refused to comment on whether HIMARS launchers could be delivered to Poland in 2025 and whether US statements about the priority of some deliveries to Ukraine could lead to a delay.

Answering a question about the prospects for producing missiles for the M142 HIMARS systems in Poland, Kuptel said that the country intends to produce the entire range of necessary weapons for the army, but “it is necessary to compare its capabilities with its intentions.”

Previous order

Poland already has HIMARS systems in service: the first five units were delivered on May 15. Two more launchers arrived on May 24 last year. They were ordered in February 2019.

In total, within this contract, the Polish Army was to receive 20 launchers and GMLRS missiles and ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for them.

The M142 HIMARS is in service with the 1st Missile Brigade, stationed in Toruń and Ożysz and is part of the 16th Mechanized Division.