The contract was approved by Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak on Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
At the signing ceremony in the northern city of Toruń, Błaszczak said: “I have approved a contract for the acquisition of 486 HIMARS launchers. Together with the batch ordered in 2019, the Polish army will have 500 HIMARS launchers.”
The defence minister stressed: “This is a sufficient amount to effectively deter an aggressor.”
He added that the first HIMARS launchers from the new order would reach the Polish army in late 2025, the PAP news agency reported.
Błaszczak also vowed that the government would “consistently strengthen the army” to guard against any threats.
In February 2019, Poland's government signed a deal to buy 20 HIMARS artillery rocket systems from America for USD 414 million as part of a military modernisation drive.
The first HIMARS launchers arrived in Poland in May, news outlets reported at the time.
The M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) "is a full-spectrum, combat-proven, all-weather, 24/7, lethal and responsive, wheeled precision strike weapons system," according to the US Army.
It can fire GMLRS rockets at a range of over 70 kilometres and ATACMS missiles at a range of up to 300 kilometres, according to officials.
Monday is day 565 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
(pm)
Source: PAP, Polsat News