Poland has moved its Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to a military airfield in western Warsaw where they will remain for the time being as part of the training of Polish troops, according to Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak.
Poland’s purchase of two MIM-104 Patriot batteries produced by American Raytheon company is an element of a wider package of transactions within the Wisła Polish army’s air defence programme. The estimated cost of the batteries is about €4.2 billion.
The Polish Patriot launchers that are to be deployed at Warsaw’s Bemowo military airport will play a crucial role in the training” of the Polish air defence forces, tweeted Błaszczak.
The Polish government signed a contract for two Patriot batteries with over 200 missiles in 2018. The first battery reached the country in late 2022 and the other one is expected to be delivered later this year, according to the WNP news outlet.
Having acquired the Patriot systems, Poland is joining the US, Netherlands, Germany, Japan and Italy, making it the sixth country to now rely on the US-produced system, WNP points out.
Polish soldiers are currently undergoing training to operate the Patriots that are set to achieve operational readiness in 2024.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | EURACTIV.pl)
Source: euractiv.com
