Speaking at the opening of the Warsaw Defence Fair on Friday, just hours after taking up her post, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said eight countries had already made concrete commitments to do so, with more expected.
Talks with Spain – also a potential partner for acquiring aerial refuelling aircraft – are set to take place next week.
Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, who has served as the government's commissioner for the EU's SAFE programme, said one of her main tasks in the coming months would be finalising joint procurement deals under the scheme.
SAFE offers Poland around EUR 43.7 billion in low-interest loans for defence investment, mainly equipment for the Polish armed forces.
By the end of May, the first round of contracts under the programme had been signed, worth around PLN 120 billion (roughly EUR 28 billion), for combat vehicles, artillery and other equipment from Polish defence firms.
The next phase will involve joint purchases with foreign partners.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said earlier this month that 62 contracts had been signed with Polish arms manufacturers over three days in late May.
He added that the government now plans to expand exports of Polish equipment, predicting that most European armies would buy Polish Piorun anti-aircraft missile systems, while Baltic neighbours would purchase Baobab mine-laying vehicles.
The two-day Warsaw Defence Fair, held at the Polish capital's Expo XXI centre, brings together the military, uniformed services, arms manufacturers and other defence-sector firms.
Friday's industry-only programme includes talks on topics ranging from cybersecurity to helicopter procurement.
Saturday's events are open to the public, featuring demonstrations and workshops on subjects including cybersecurity and battlefield medicine.
(ał/gs)
Source: PAP