Poland’s first Patriot air defence systems due to arrive in 2022: PM
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
27.03.2018 14:15
Poland will receive its first batch of American Patriot air defence systems in 2022, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday, a day before a deal was expected to be signed with the United States.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara
This will be followed by another delivery in 2024, Morawiecki said on the eve of the planned deal with the Americans.
"The first Patriot systems will reach Poland in 2022, and the next ones in 2024,” Morawiecki told public broadcaster TVP Info.
He added that the missile defence systems would “ensure the security of our skies in an unprecedented way."
The Patriot systems contain the latest technology, which the Americans are only selling to Poland, Morawiecki told TVP Info.
"This is proof of our close solidarity as allies, that the Americans trust Poland," he said.
He told the Polish public broadcaster that the agreement, which is due to be signed on Wednesday, “has been very well negotiated.”
The contract comes with an offset package to “increase the production capacity of Polish plants," Morawiecki said.
He added that the offset package would enable Poland to "develop new military solutions in cooperation with the United States."
Poland’s defence ministry on Friday signed nearly PLN 950 million (USD 277m, EUR 225m) worth of offset deals with American firms Lockheed Martin Global Inc and the Raytheon Company ahead of the planned purchase of US Patriot air defence systems.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP