The US State Department has approved the sale of 18 HIMARS rocket launchers and almost 500 launcher loader module kits along with ammunition to Poland, which is seeking to bolster its defence capabilities in the face of Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine.
The deal could amount to up to $10 billion, said the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, Grand Prairie, TX.
“A major reinforcement of Poland’s artillery is getting closer. The US State Department has agreed to sell Poland nearly 500 HIMARS launcher [loader module kits]. Most of them will be mounted on Polish trucks. We will also purchase a stockpile of ammunition. We are entering price negotiations,” Poland’s defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak tweeted.
Wielkie wzmocnienie polskiej artylerii coraz bliżej. Departament Stanu USA wyraził zgodę na sprzedaż Polsce prawie 500 wyrzutni Himars. Większość z nich będzie zamontowanych na polskich ciężarówkach. Zakupimy również zapas amunicji. Przystępujemy do negocjacji cenowych. pic.twitter.com/VIUEs1U9jf
— Mariusz Błaszczak (@mblaszczak) February 7, 2023
According to the State Department, the package includes, among others, 18 complete HIMARS launchers, 468 launcher loader module kits, which will be mounted on Polish-made chassis, as well as more than 9,000 guided missiles, including 45 ATACMS tactical missiles (with a range of more than 300 km).
The final contract figure may be lower, depending on the outcome of negotiations. A request for the purchase of nearly 500 HIMARS launchers was made last year, but the defence ministry opted for a parallel purchase of South Korean K239 Chunmoo launchers.
“It is worth noting that the DSCA’s statement does not mention command vehicles, which may indicate that it intends to use Polish solutions,” observes industry news service Defence24.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” said DSCA in a statement, announcing the approval.
“The proposed sale will improve Poland’s military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies.”
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland has embarked on a military spending spree, including signing deals for hundreds of tanks and howitzers from the US and South Korea. Warsaw is also buying Patriot air defence systems and F-35 combat aircraft from the US.
Last week, Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, announced that Poland plans to spend 4% of its GDP on defence this year, the highest current level in NATO.
Main photo credit: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command / flickr.com (under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.
