Poland seeks US approval to buy Raytheon's Patriot

Poland has issued a letter of request to the US government to buy eight Patriot missile defense systems from Raytheon, Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz announed at a defense fair in Kielce. "This is not the signing of the contract, nor the the end of the negotiations," Macierewicz said, adding that because of that he cannot reveal the value of the contract. "Poland's formal request is an important milestone toward becoming the 6th NATO Patriot country and the 14th Patriot partner nation," Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said in a statement. Macierewicz added that half of the production will be undertaken by Polish companies. Under the initial agreement struck by the previous PO-PSL government, Raytheon was responsible for the delivery of six Patriot missile systems equipped with GEM-T missiles in the next three years, and then with newer PAC-MSE missiles. The total value of the contract stood at PLN 26 billion. 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.