Poland signs $4.75 billion Patriot deal

Poland signed its largest weapons procurement deal in history by agreeing with the US to buy Raytheon’s Patriot missile defense system for $4.75 billion. “It is an extraordinary, historic moment; it is Poland’s introduction into a whole new world of state-of-the-art technology, modern weaponry, and defensive means,” President Andrzej Duda said during the signing ceremony. The deal concerns four Patriot fire units. Additionally, Poland is negotiating deals for six additional systems, as well as new 360-degree radar and a low-cost interceptor missile. “We do expect that Poland will move pretty quickly with Phase II. They have a stated desire to complete that by the end of the year,” Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, told Reuters. The units will be delivered between 2022-24 Initially, Poland planned to purchase 8 units for PLN 30 billion. Thanks to the deal, Poland will join other NATO allies, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Greece which already owns Patriot systems. The Patriot mobile missile defense interceptors are designed to detect, track and engage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and short-range or tactical ballistic missiles.