Speaking at a press briefing in Ottawa, where he met with Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty, Kosiniak-Kamysz said he had "very good information" regarding a preliminary green light from the U.S. State Department — reported a day earlier by Polish media — for Warsaw to manufacture Patriot-compatible missiles.
"Doors are opening for the possibility of transferring production of, for example, PAC-3 missiles for Patriots or rockets for HIMARS", he said, adding that Poland was "one of the most seriously considered directions" alongside the Netherlands and Germany.
The minister cautioned against premature optimism, saying he preferred to "speak when something is certain", but confirmed that statements made on the matter in Poland and the United States were accurate.
On the question of technology transfer, Kosiniak-Kamysz said that any know-how arrangements would be defined during contract negotiations. "It is hard to transfer production without knowledge of the details", he said, noting that U.S. authorization would still be required for any further distribution.
The minister also announced that a helicopter engine service center — covering Apache, Black Hawk and AW-149 aircraft — would open in Poland in September, operated by Military Aviation Works No. 1 in Łódź. He said the facility, financed through an Apache offset agreement, would serve as a maintenance hub for all of Europe, significantly cutting repair times and boosting combat readiness.
The announcements follow a busy period for Polish defense procurement. Last Friday, the first three F-35 multirole fighters arrived at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask under a 2020 contract worth USD 4.6 billion for 32 fifth-generation jets, with full delivery expected by 2029. Poland has also ordered 96 Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopters in a deal worth approximately USD 10.8 billion signed in August 2024.
(jh)
Source: PAP