Poland is getting cold feet on defense spending under the new left-liberal government, which is drawing criticism from conservatives concerned about the threat Russia poses to the east.
“In less than a year, contracts for K2 tanks, K9 and Krab gun-howitzers were withdrawn. Now, it’s time for the HIMARS,” writes Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland’s former Minister of National Defense in the Law and Justice (PiS) government, posted on X, citing information from “Rzeczpospolita.”
“Although we signed a framework agreement for 486 Himars artillery systems a year ago, negotiations on the details have not yet started. There is no chance that we will buy that many,” wrote the daily.
The former Polish defense minister pointed out that the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers, further adding that the current Tusk-led government is wasting “a historic opportunity to build one of the strongest armies in NATO.”
Błaszczak’s comments come in the wake of some other pointed criticisms, clearly from those in opposition to the current liberal government in power but nevertheless concerning given the funds supposedly allocated to this sector.
There have also been complaints that despite Poland’s ongoing military build-up, domestic companies are suffering.
This past July, the U.S. announced a loan of $2 billion to help Poland further enhance its defense capabilities. At the time, the Polish Ministry of Defense had said that the acquired funds would be used to purchase American defense systems, specifically air and missile defense capabilities.
It would be understandable if the HIMARS order would constitute a part of such purchases. Captain Paweł Kłosowski from Poland’s Armaments Agency did answer an inquiry from “Rzeczpospolita” on the matter, stating: “An invitation to negotiations with Lockheed Martin (manufacturer of HIMARS) is currently being prepared, and activities related to acquiring system elements available in the form of foreign military sales are underway.”
It should also be noted that ammunition for HIMARS is expected to be produced domestically in Poland.
Poland has made headlines for its standing in NATO, allocating 4 percent of its GDP to military spending, double NATO’s 2-percent target for all member countries. Out of the alliance’s 32 member countries, only the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France will spend more in absolute terms this year.
The country’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has even said Poland will spend a whopping 5 percent of GDP on defense in 2025.
