Army. Himars system in Ukraine and the Polish army

Director Wagon John Ratcliffe announced on Wednesday that United States They stopped sharing intelligence data With Ukraine. Media reports show that the end of intelligence support from the US prevented Kiev from using the Himars system. Referring to the Ukrainian officer, the daily Washington Post reported that in the last month the United States has ceased to send the forces of Ukraine to the coordinates needed for destruction ATACMS rockets goals located over 60 km behind the front line. According to “Washington Post”, excluding the possibility of destroying with these missiles will allow Russia To move their facilities and weapons closer to the front, which will help Russians logistics and attacks.

When the White House confirmed on Monday that the president Donald Trump He suspended all military assistance for Ukraine, a high -ranking official in Kiev, dealing with defense issues, explained the Ukrainian BBC section that Ukraine is extremely dependent on several types weapons supplied by the USA. In addition to Patriot air defense systems, which can shoot down Russian hypersonic and ballistic missiles, he replaced multiple rocket launchers, mainly Himars.

The United States for the first time passed the Himars rocket artillery system about 80 km as part of the help package in June 2022. – The transfer of this armaments will allow Ukrainian forces to hurt enemy goals with greater precision, it is also a weapon with a further range than artillery systems currently used by Ukraine – she said US Ambassador in Ukraine Bridget Brink in mid -2022.

In nearly three years, the US has handed over Ukraine together 40 Himars launchers. At the beginning of 2023, the New York Times reported that the American system “helped Ukraine to change the war”, reminding that the Ukrainian army used launchers on the attack on the Antonowski bridge, crossing the key supply line for thousands of Russian soldiers in Cherson. Ultimately, the Kremlin announced withdrawal from this city to the left bank of the Dnieper.

– The word “Himars” has become almost synonymous with the word “justice” for Ukraine – said the President of Ukraine Wołodymyr Zelanski On Facebook after one of the Russian artillery attacks in August 2022.

In June 2024, Ukraine for the first time used American weapons to hit Russia, launching Himars rockets in the direction of Belgoród. The American system was to destroy there Russian anti-aircraft and anti-missile battery S-300.

M142 Himars (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a high mobility rocket artillery system produced by the American Lockheed Martin concern. Unlike the MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket set, a system mounted on a caterpillar chassis, Himars uses a wheeled chassis that allows faster movement.

Currently, there are 20 Himars launchers in Poland, including 18 combat and two for training. They went to our country as part of the 2019 contract. At the beginning of September 2023, the Ministry of National Defense approved the framework agreement concluded between the Armament Agency and Lockheed Martin, which is the subject of 486 Himars rocket launchers. According to the delivery schedule adopted at that time, they would start at the end of 2025. However, an executive agreement is needed for them to start. In July 2024 The Ministry of National Defense informed the concrete24that “activities aimed at concluding it are currently carried out.” The Ministry of Defense emphasized that “taking into account the specificity of the order and the involvement of Polish industry in its implementation, it is required to conclude many other accompanying contracts.”

“M142 Himars rocket launchers will provide the necessary fire support for the sub -units of the Land Forces by performing deep fire strikes” – we read on the website of the Ministry of National Defense. Later in the message, it was explained that the system uses rocket ammunition guided by satellite and inertial navigation systems (inertial navigation, also called inertial, is used to determine the position of the rocket bullet using acceleration and gyroscopes – ed.) GMLRS, or basic ammunition to the Himars system.

As the Ministry of National Defense pointed out, the system is also capable of precise targets at distances of up to several hundred kilometers in the area of ​​operational activities using ATACMS missiles. The maximum range of the ATACMS system is 300 km.

All Himars launchers ordered so far are equipped with the 16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division – according to the Ministry of National Defense.

See also: Deputy Minister of the Ministry of National Defense: Until the change of Trump's decision, the equipment will stay in Rzeszów