Poland has purchased second-hand vehicles worth €2.24 billion as part of its bid to modernise the military, following a bit increase in spending since the war in Ukraine started, according to the WNP.pl portal.
Warsaw ordered 189 K2 tanks and 212 K9 howitzers. Polish military purchases also included 18 K239 Chunmoo self-propelled rocket artillery launchers and 48 FA-50 combat training aircraft.
“The entire package concerning K2 tanks amounts to €3.14 billion, while as for the entire package of K9 howitzers – €2.24 billion,” said National Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak when describing the Polish purchases from Seoul last year.
The purchases from Asia were analysed by WNP.pl, which noted that the Poles received used equipment from South Korea. The portal also pointed out other inaccuracies about the purchased military equipment.
“Military analysts also confirm a lot of ambiguities regarding the target configuration of the equipment that will go to Polish soldiers. Information on what we wanted to buy was changing rapidly,” reads the website.
However, the portal’s journalists emphasised that for an order to be delivered so fast, the equipment was likely, not new.
“It is difficult to get new equipment in such a short period of time, only three months to conclude a contract to deliver them,” writes WNP.pl
All the cannon howitzers that arrived in Poland from South Korea have been manufactured between 2008 and 2010 and have been used to some extent by the South Korean military.
The portal points out that the machines had to undergo compulsory servicing and overhaul in those parts where this was necessary before making their way to Poland.
The “expiration date” of South Korean combat vehicles was also redefined – their resources were reset, meaning a new safe service life was defined.
Poland and South Korea have recently moved closer together, strengthening economic and military cooperation, something that is highlighted by Poland’s large purchases from South Korea.
(Bartosz Sieniawski | EURACTIV.pl)
Source: euractiv.com
