2022-05-24 11:59 update: 2022-05-26, 13:14
Photo EPA/VALDA KALNINA
Poland will order six additional batteries of the US Patriot missile system, the defence minister said on Tuesday
Talking to the Polsat News private broadcaster, Mariusz Blaszczak said that six more Patriot sets will be delivered to Poland as the second stage of building of Poland's Patriot-based Wisla air defence system.
He also wrote on Twitter, on Tuesday: "I signed a Letter of Request concerning six Patriot batteries with omnidirectional radars, launchers and a supply of missiles."
Blaszczak noted that in the first stage of the Wisla system, two Patriot system batteries, were purchased from the US and that the second delivery "will not be the final one."
Poland chose the Patriot system as the basis for the Wisla medium-range air defence programme in 2015. In 2018, Poland signed an inter-governmental agreement with the US for the delivery two batteries (16 launchers) worth USD 4.75 billion. The Polish systems are to be armed with Lockheed Martin's PAC-3 missiles and integrated with the new Northrop Grumman Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS), being developed for the American ground forces.
Deliveries of Patriot missile batteries for Poland are planned by the end of this year, initial operational readiness is to be achieved at the turn of 2023/2024. (PAP)
emer/mrb/jch
