Poland deploys first HIMARS on the border with Russia's Kaliningrad enclave

The first delivery of HIMARS missile systems ordered from the United States will be deployed near the Kaliningrad region of Russia. Warsaw intends to purchase hundreds of these multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and is in discussions with American manufacturers about localizing production.

Poland has already accepted the first shipment of American HIMARS MLRS, which it plans to deploy in the area bordering Russia. This was announced on Monday, May 15, by Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak.

"These weapons will be deployed in the northeastern region of our country. Its main purpose is to deter the aggressor," Blaszczak said in his comments to the press. In March, the Polish Defense Ministry announced that the HIMARS high-precision missile systems would be deployed in a military facility located in Olsztyn, about 80 kilometers from the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast, which Poland renamed Krulewiecka.

Blaszczak is confident that the HIMARS missile systems "will strengthen Polish military forces on Poland's eastern flank and on NATO's eastern flank," according to AFP.

Warsaw intends to purchase hundreds of HIMARS systems This shipment of HIMARS missile systems arrived in Poland under a contract signed in 2019 with the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Poland paid for 20 HIMARS systems at the time. However, Warsaw later announced that it was negotiating with the United States to purchase more launchers of this type.

"The US Congress has approved the sale of almost 500 launchers to Poland. These missile launchers will be delivered to Poland as soon as possible. We are trying to ensure that the new contract includes joint production of HIMARS, both launchers and missiles, in Poland. This is the goal we have set for ourselves," Blaszczak said.

In January 2023, the Polish government announced a sharp increase in defense spending to a record four percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized that Poland needed to arm itself "faster" because of Russia's war against Ukraine.

South Korean counterparts to HIMARS are also desirable for Warsaw Realizing that the production of the ordered HIMARS may take longer than planned, Warsaw has agreed with a South Korean missile manufacturer to supply approximately 300 K239 Chunmoo MLRS, which have similar tactical and technical characteristics to the US systems. Warsaw also plans to purchase a significant number of missiles for the South Korean systems along with the launchers themselves.

The first K239 Chunmoo MLRS are expected to be delivered to Poland in 2023. According to the Polish specialized publication Defense24, one of the conditions of the agreement is the transfer of technology for partial localization of the production of these systems in Poland.

Poland has recently announced a number of agreements with South Korea to purchase significant quantities of weapons, including K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery systems, K2 Black Panther tanks, and FA-50 combat aircraft. Some of these agreements provide for the possibility of localizing the production of South Korean weapons at Polish enterprises. The total value of these agreements is billions of dollars.

These actions of Poland demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions to strengthen its defense capabilities in the face of growing regional tensions. Warsaw seeks to ensure maximum readiness to repel possible aggression, and in this context, the purchase of American and South Korean missile systems is an important part of the strategy.

At the same time, these steps may provoke a negative reaction from Russia, which has repeatedly protested against the deployment of new US missile systems in Europe. However, in a situation of increased international tension in the region, Poland seems to consider such a step justified and necessary to ensure its national security.