The Polish defense industry is smart to see opportunities, with the selling of the M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) in Europe, especially the use of HIMARS in war games in Ukraine, has initiated Poland to establish a HIMARS production and repair center in Europe in 2023.
Of course, there are strong reasons for Poland to persuade the US to allow the opening of a HIMARS center in Europe, because Poland is in the middle of negotiating the procurement of 500 HIMARS launchers.
As of November 2018, the US Department of State has approved the sale of 20 HIMARS systems to Poland. Then in February 2023, there was an additional sale of 486 HIMARS launchers – consisting of 18 complete systems and 468 Launcher Loader Module kits.
Quoted from Reuters.com (4/5/2023), Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said, after talks with the management of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), said Lockheed Martin was ready to cooperate with the Polish defense industry to increase the production of launchers.
“Later this year we will create a HIMARS center similar to the M1A2 Abrams center already operating in Poland,” said Mariusz Blaszczak. "Our assumption is that the HIMARS center will become a hub for service and production of HIMARS, not only for Poland's needs but also for the needs of (other) European countries," he added.
Blaszczak said the first US-made HIMARS launcher, ordered in 2019, will reach Poland in mid-May. Blaszczak also said the US Congress had approved the sale of 500 additional launchers to be installed on Polish Jelcz trucks.
Last May, Poland requested an additional 500 HIMARS launchers from the United States, but according to Polish media, Lockheed Martin said it was only possible to offer about 200 of them.
Blaszczak said he would meet US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to sign a cooperation agreement on arms orders. "This agreement will also form the basis for the Polish defense industry to engage more effectively in cooperation with the US defense industry."
Currently, 20 units of M142 HIMARS launchers are in the hands of the Ukrainian military, with another 18 units to be delivered. Meanwhile, another European country that uses HIMARS is Romania, which has received 18 HIMARS units out of a total of 54 units ordered. Others, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have signed a HIMARS procurement contract in 2022.
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