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July 7, 2017 / 1:42 PM / Updated July 7, 2017 at 1:59 PM

Poland in talks with Lockheed for inidigenous HIMARS rocket system

The Polish Armanent Group is interested in using the HIMARS artillery rocket system as the basis for Poland's Homer program.

An ATACMS missile is fired during a test launch from HIMARS. U.S. Army photo

An ATACMS missile is fired during a test launch from HIMARS. U.S. Army photo

July 7 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has been selected by the Polish Armanent Group for further talks on using the HIMARS artillery rocket system for Poland's Homer program.

The cooperation will help Poland develop its own defense industry and modernize its military with technology transfers and modernized production facilities, Lockheed Martin announced on Friday.

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The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is a multiple launch rocket system mounted on a standard Army Medium Tactical Vehicle chassis. It can carry either 6 227mm M270 rockets or 1 Army Tactical Missile System battlefield precision-guided missile.

Originally designed to use rockets to disperse cluster munitions for wide area suppression of enemy infantry and armor, HIMARS has shifted towards precision-guided rockets and missiles with single high-explosive warheads.

Custer munitions are banned in many countries by international treaty due to concerns over civilian casualties from unexploded ordnance.

The M270 rocket can be carried on HIMARS or M270 MLRS launchers, with newer models being precision-guided and with a range of over 75 miles. The ATACMS is a surface-to-surface guided missile with a range of over 180 miles and is designed for striking hardened high-value targets and theater defense.

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The Polish Ministry of Defense has indicated that it considers the integration of HIMARS technology into a Polish variant combined with purchases of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 anti-ballistic missiles will play key roles in bolstering Poland's theater defenses.

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