Poland Struggles With HIMARS Buy...I expected the Poles to be a bit more pragmatic...just go domestic!

via Defense News.

The Polish government is working to renegotiate an arms deal approved by the State Department last year for the U.S.-made HIMARS long-range rocket artillery system after experiencing some sticker shock when seeing the final price tag.

The $250 million package for the rocket launcher along with guided warheads and other tactical missiles was seen as a way for Poland and NATO to push back against the Russian military buildup in neighboring Kaliningrad, which gives Moscow the ability to track and knock down Polish aircraft over Polish airspace. The HIMARS, Polish officials told me, would give them the ability to hit targets at a longer range if their aircraft were unable to fly.

But almost six months on, the deal remains a work in progress even as the Trump administration has kicked off a new initiative to eliminate red tape, speed up timelines, and cut costs for sales of U.S. military equipment to allies overseas.

Maj. Gen. Cezary Wiśniewski — a former F-16 pilot now serving as Poland’s Defense Attache to the United States — told me during a recent conversation at the Polish consulate here, his government very much wants to move forward with the HIMARS deal, but can’t at the current price. The Polish government and HIMARS-maker Lockheed Martin continue to hash out possibilities for making the deal happen, but neither side would, for the moment, give much insight on how to bring costs down.

I don't get this at all.

I expected the Poles to be a bit more pragmatic...a bit more hard nosed...a bit more focused on getting gear to their troops.

If the Americans (yeah I'm talking about us, but particularly LM) can't get the price to what they can afford then simply roll on with domestic produced rocket launchers.  They already have it in service.  Will it be NATO standard? I'm not sure but it will fill the bill, give them a system that works, and will meet the requirements that they've laid out.

Lambo's are nice but if you can't afford that then there is nothing wrong with a good dependable Ford Truck...

Will you keep up with the Joneses down the street?  Maybe not but you'll be within budget and sooner or later they'll be looking at you and envy because you were physically responsible instead of dumping a ton of cash into one area when many needed to be upgraded.