Poland’s Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz announced on Wednesday his decision to place a supply order for eight Patriot surface-to-air missile systems with the U.S. government.
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Wes Kremer, the president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said in a statement: “Poland’s formal request is an important milestone toward becoming the sixth Nato Patriot country and the 14th Patriot partner nation”.
Antoni Macierewicz said on Tuesday the first two batteries are expected in Poland by the end of 2019, to become part of a missile defense system Poland plans to build. In November, however, Macierewicz said that the contract with US’ Raytheon for the delivery of surface-to-air Patriot missile systems hasn’t yet been signed and was practically invalid.
Sources familiar with the proposed sale said the announcement looked like a firm commitment by Poland to move ahead.
The modernization program has picked up speed since Russia’s annexation of Crimea and backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine, which have spawned fears in Eastern Europe and the Baltics of Russian aggression.
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“Today I have made a decision about the dispatch of a letter of request to the United States Government and the Raytheon company concerning the order of the Patriot missile defence system”, Macierewicz announced.
