Polish Minister of Defense says Poland will receive Patriot missile systems in 2019
Minister of National Defense of Poland Antoni Macierewicz has stated that the first shipment of the American Patriot surface-to-air missile systems with anti-ballistic missile capability is expected in Poland within a couple of years. Polskie Radio broadcasted the information.
According to Macierewicz, the shipment of weapons was already confirmed by the American aerospace and defense company Raytheon.
The minister also mentioned the Narew procurement program for short range (up to 25 kilometers) anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems. According to Macierewicz, air defense systems under the Narew program are expected to arrive in 2021-2022, which is earlier than originally planned.
According to the report, the shipment of the Patriot ABM systems was a result of accelerated negotiations with the American administration and support from President Donald Trump for the negotiations.
According to a memorandum signed in July, the shipments of the Patriot ABM systems will be implemented in two stages.
Under the first stage, Poland will receive four fire units, or two Patriot batteries, supplied with 12 missiles of state-of-the-art configuration. Under the second stage, Poland will receive ABM systems equipped with the SkyCeptor missiles.
Earlier Macierewicz stated that Poland needed to ramp up the number of the United States’ military personnel deployed in its territory.