It is the first time Polish artillerymen are participating in an exercise inside the Arctic Circle in Finland. The country’s Ministry of National Defence says in a statement that the goal is to see how well the Polish military cooperates with forces of other NATO countries.
The exercise, named Northern Strike 25-2, takes place at the Rovajärvi firing range northeast of Rovaniemi in Lapland. The area is the largest training ground for artillery in western Europe and is located about 90 kilometres from Finland’s border with Russia.
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a missile launcher mounted on a truck which can fire six guided missiles in quick succession. The US made weapon has a range of up to 80 km, which is longer than similar Russian rocket systems. For Ukraine, the HIMARS have proven successful in striking Russian weapons deposits and command post distant from the frontlines. Läs artikel