NATO to spend $650 mln on modernization of military

NATO will spend $650 million on military infrastructure investments in Poland in the next few years, according to the daily, Rzeczpospolita. The planned investments under the NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP), would be focused mainly on the military bases that have to be re-vamped in order to be able to 'host' NATO forces in the future. They would be supplied with bigger tanks and furnished with modern tank fuelling facilities. This would include the construction of acid-proof pipelines with a capacity of 2 thousand liters of fuel per minute. In addition, all the navigation and emergency equipment would be replaced to meet NATO standards. NATO-compatible air bases would be situated in Krzesiny, Malbork, Powidz, Swidwin, Miroslawiec, Lask and Minsk Mazowiecki. NATO will also spend money on overhauling the whole infrastructure of Swinoujscie and Gdynia harbors before the end of 2005. Zl. 250 million would go into the overhaul and adaptation of the communication and air defence network nationwide. Since August 1999, 100 Polish companies have submitted their offers for 170 tenders launched by NATO. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B4) J.K.