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Poland selected to host servicing hub for US Patriot missiles

27.10.2026 16:00
Poland has been chosen to host a major servicing centre for US-made Patriot air defence missiles, defeating rival bids from Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, officials said on Tuesday.
An M903 launcher of the Patriot air defence system.
An M903 launcher of the Patriot air defence system.Photo courtesy of Poland's Ministry of Defence/gov.pl

The decision was announced by Deputy Defence Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, who led the negotiations with the United States.

Calling it a "historic decision," she said Poland's proposal had "scored the highest" during the application process.

"This success was not obvious," she wrote on X.

"It is the result of many months of negotiations and hard work by the entire team."

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a Cabinet meeting that talks were near completion following updates from Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Sobkowiak-Czarnecka.

Tusk said that Poland had worked hard to bring "these capabilities and infrastructure" to the country, competing against "several ambitious rivals."

At present, the advanced PAC-3 MSE interceptors—the most modern missiles used in the Patriot system—are manufactured and serviced exclusively in the United States.

European nations have to ship their inventory across the Atlantic for routine maintenance and checks.

A new facility in Poland will cut waiting times and streamline servicing for European militaries.

Polish authorities hope the move could also open the door to future domestic production of the interceptors.

Demand for the system has surged due to its ability to shoot down ballistic missiles used by Russia and Iran.

Global stocks have been heavily depleted by the conflict in the Middle East, while in Europe, supplying the interceptors to Ukraine remains critical to help protect the country's energy infrastructure against Russian strikes this winter.

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin currently produces only a few hundred PAC-3 MSE missiles a year.

Although the company plans to boost output to 2,000 annually in the coming years, production limits are already causing supply delays.

(ał/gs)

Source: PAP