Poland to finalize the purchase of 20 US HIMARS rocket launcher systems

February 2019 Global Defense Security army news industry
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The government of Poland has announced on Sunday February 10, 2019, its plan to finalize next week the purchase of 20 HIMARS artillery rocket systems from the United States for a total amount of USD 414 million. According to the radio Poland website, the new acquisition of the Polish army could be finalized next Wednesday.

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U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 65th Field Artillery Brigade, fire their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a joint live-fire exercise with the Kuwait Land Forces, Jan. 8, 2019. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

In November 2018, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland of 20 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) M142 Launchers, and other related equipment for an estimated cost of $655 million.

Poland has requested to buy twenty (20) High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) M142 Launchers, thirty-six (36) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M31 Unitary, nine (9) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M30A1 Alternative Warheads, thirty (30) Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) M57 Unitary, twenty-four (24) Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (AFATDS), twenty (20) Multiple Launcher Pod Assembly M68A2 Trainers, twenty-four (24) M1151A1 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), and nine (9) M1151A1 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheel Vehicles (HMMWVs).

The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a light multiple rocket launcher system developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army. The rocket launching system is produced by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control while the Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) 5-ton truck chassis is designed and manufactured by BAE Systems Mobility.

The HIMARS carries a six-pack of GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) rockets or one TACMS Tactical Missile, and is designed to launch the entire MLRS family of munitions. With standard rocket it has a range of 32 km, while with extended type rocket, it has a range of 45 km.

With extended range guided rocket GMLRS, the firing range is more than 70 km and 300 km with the tactical missile.