Poland has received its first Himars rocket launchers and will deploy them near the Russian border

Poland has received the first batch of US-made Himars rocket launchers that it intends to deploy in the border region with Russia, the Polish Minister of Defense announced on Monday (May 15th). “This weapon will be deployed in the northeastern part of our country (…), its task will be to deter the aggressor”Mariusz Blaszczak told reporters.

Poland, a country bordering Ukraine which it strongly supports, purchased 20 Himars in 2019 and has now received the first delivery of these systems. In March, the ministry specified that these long-range systems would equip a military unit based in Olsztyn, about 80 km from the border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

Poland has announced a major increase in defense spending, to 4% of gross domestic product, with the prime minister explaining that his country must arm itself “faster”, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Warsaw says it is negotiating with the United States for the acquisition of a much higher number of these weapons. “The US Congress has approved the sale of nearly 500 rocket launchers to Poland. They will be brought to Poland as soon as possible”said Mariusz Blaszczak.