The upcoming European defense contract of the year

The ministry has already prepared zł.600 million to buy 89 new AMV Patria armored transporters. In the near future the Polish army will buy 690 of these vehicles, a contract worth almost zł.5 billion and which represents one of the biggest arms deals in Europe. MON will also spend several hundred million złoty on upgrading the Krzesiny and Łask air bases to serve new F-16 fighter jets. By the end of August 2005 MON will have to finalize a tender to supply the army with radio communication equipment, worth at least zł.30 million. Apart from other expenditures, the army will still have to supply Hummers it bought this year with guns, radio communications and other necessary fittings, as well as buy 2,600 bulletproof vests produced by Lubawa and Morateks. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. B1, B4) D.W.