Lockheed Martin Invites Polish Industry to Participate in HIMARS Missile Production.

Lockheed Martin has invited Poland’s defense industry to participate in producing guided multiple-launch rocket systems (GMLRS), a key component in Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces. This was reported by Defense News on June 11, 2024, following a briefing in Warsaw.
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HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket System in Poland. (Picture source: US DoD)

This offer comes as Poland considers purchasing up to 486 launchers and launcher-loader module kits and related equipment for its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), produced by Lockheed Martin.

During a conference in Warsaw, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson revealed that missile production could take place at Mesko, a subsidiary of the national defense giant PGZ. The American company is currently in discussions with Polish officials.

“As part of the Homar-A program, we plan to establish GMLRS ammunition production in Poland, initially introducing two GMLRS variants to meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces. Initial production, likely from kits supplied by the United States, could begin in 2026,” said the spokesperson, who spoke anonymously to discuss the negotiations.

The HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, is a mobile artillery system designed to launch rockets and tactical missiles with great precision. Armed with six rockets from the MLRS series or a single ATACMS tactical missile, it offers considerable firing flexibility on the battlefield. Used by many countries such as Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, this weapon system has proven its effectiveness and reliability.

Developed by the United States, the HIMARS is equipped for combat with a heater, an NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection system, and a white searchlight. Operated by a crew of three, it offers protection against small arms fire and shell splinters.

The HIMARS vehicle weighs 10,886 kg and can reach a maximum speed of 85 km/h on the road. In terms of firing range, it can reach up to 45 km with an ER-MLRS rocket, 70 km with a new extended-range guided rocket GMLRS, and 300 km with a tactical missile. The dimensions of the HIMARS are as follows: a length of 5.046 meters, a width of 2.16 meters, and a height of 2.251 meters. These characteristics make the HIMARS a highly effective weapon system, capable of moving quickly and striking long-distance targets with exceptional precision.

In September 2023, then-Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak signed a framework agreement for the purchase of up to 486 HIMARS units. This agreement followed the U.S. State Department’s approval of Poland’s request to acquire advanced rockets and rocket launchers worth approximately $10 billion, granted more than seven months earlier.

However, a new centrist government was formed in Poland three months later, and since then, no executive deal has been signed. Previously, in February 2019, Poland had acquired 20 HIMARS launchers under a $414 million contract.