Polish forces have transported an M142 HIMARS rocket launcher to Finland aboard the ORP Toruń landing ship as part of NATO’s Swift Response 25 military exercises, Defence24’s Adam Świerkowski reported.
The deployment includes soldiers from Poland’s 6th Airborne Brigade and 1st Rocket Brigade, along with a range of tactical vehicles, marking what appears to be the first use of a Polish HIMARS system aboard a Lublin-class (Project 767) naval vessel.
Swift Response 25, which began on May 11, is taking place across Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, and Lithuania. The exercise is intended to showcase NATO’s ability to project force and reinforce key battlefield capabilities in the High North and the Baltic region.
Photos published with the report show the HIMARS system secured on the deck of ORP Toruń, along with at least two AERO high-mobility vehicles, a Jelcz S662D.43 truck, and multiple variants of HMMWVs, including the Tumak-2.
Drogą morską na ćwiczenie pk. Swift Response-25 w Finlandii 🇫🇮 na pokładzie okrętu #8FOW‼️
Transport żołnierzy i techniki wojskowej na 🇵🇱 okrętach #MWRP oraz łączenie i wykorzystywanie wspólnych zdolności bojowych to doskonały przykład interoperacyjności Sił Zbrojnych 💪
📸 3FO pic.twitter.com/9nexxLgXYT
— Marynarka Wojenna RP/ Polish Navy (@MarWojRP) May 24, 2025
The Lublin-class vessel is designed to transport up to nine heavy tracked vehicles or up to 17 light wheeled vehicles such as the Star 266, in addition to 135 fully equipped soldiers.
The M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a U.S.-designed, wheeled multiple rocket launcher mounted on an Oshkosh M1140 6×6 chassis. Powered by a 290-horsepower Caterpillar engine, it has an operational range of up to 480 km and a maximum speed of 85 km/h. The launcher can carry a single pod with six GMLRS rockets with a range of approximately 80 km, or alternatively, one ATACMS missile with a range exceeding 300 km or two upcoming PrSM rounds capable of striking targets at distances beyond 400 km.
According to Defence24, Poland’s participation in Swift Response 25 with HIMARS equipment highlights Warsaw’s growing role in NATO’s collective defense efforts. The exercises are scheduled to conclude by May 31.