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Poland asks to buy US anti-tank missiles, transport aircraft

03.09.2019 13:00
Poland is seeking to buy a batch of Javelin anti-tank missiles and five Hercules transport aircraft from the United States, the country’s defence minister announced on Tuesday.
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz BłaszczakPhoto: PAP/Rafał Guz

Mariusz Błaszczak took part in the signing of a formal letter of request to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in a televised ceremony in the south-central Polish city of Kielce.

He told reporters that Poland was interested in buying 180 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and 60 launchers complete with a training and logistics package.

The letter of request also concerns the purchase of five C-130 Hercules transport airplanes from surplus US military stocks, Błaszczak said.

He added that the machines would be younger than those already in use by the Polish air force and that the potential deal had already been cleared by the US Congress.

Błaszczak was in Kielce for the opening of the 27th International Defence Industry Exhibition, a major Polish defence fair that is billed by its organisers as one of the largest events of its kind in the world.

Poland this year announced it aims to buy 32 cutting-edge F-35 fighter jets from the United States as part of the country’s multibillion military upgrade programme.

In February, Poland's government signed a deal to buy 20 HIMARS artillery rocket systems from America for USD 414 million as part of the military modernisation drive.

Poland in March last year signed what officials described as a historic deal to buy an American Patriot air defence system for USD 4.75 billion.

Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda in October 2017 signed into law plans to steadily increase the country’s defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2030.

(gs/pk)

Source: TVP Info, PAP, IAR