Poland boosts air defense with $5.8B missile order
The Polish government has placed an order for 788 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot systems, costing $5.8 billion. This is a significant step in modernizing the country's air defense.
What do you need to know?
- Poland has ordered 788 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot air defense systems, as recorded in the U.S. Congress diary. The value of the order is $5.8 billion.
- The U.S. Congress has 30 days to review the order, after which the Department of State must issue its approval. This is a standard procedure for such transactions.
- Poland previously ordered 208 PAC-3 missiles, which have a range of about 22 miles and are used to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The Polish government has submitted an offer to purchase 788 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot air defense systems. The estimated value of this order is $5.8 billion. According to documents, four days before May 15, the head of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the additional order by Poland.
Why is Poland investing in Patriot systems?
The order for PAC-2 GEM-T missiles is part of a larger strategy to modernize Poland's air defense. Previously, in 2017, Poland ordered four Patriot system batteries, which, combined with this new order, raises the maximum price of the entire contract to $16.3 billion. The PAC-2 GEM-T missiles are designed to intercept short-range tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.
According to regulations, Congress now has 30 days to review the order and possibly veto it, following which the State Department must approve it.
Ukraine is a priority
According to information provided last year by the "Defense News" portal, citing statements from the head of Raytheon, the company has the capacity to produce 20 missiles per month. Last year, Raytheon had backorders for 1,500 missiles. President Joe Biden's administration has made the delivery of the Patriot system to Ukraine a priority. This week, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umierov met with Raytheon's leadership to discuss purchasing additional systems and missiles.
