Two US batteries of Patriot Air Defense, temporarily moved to Poland, have already been operational – said Deputy Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz.
The Patriot batteries are already in Poland. “The equipment is ready to protect our country,” Skurkiewicz told Radio Plus on Friday.
He recalled that two batteries of the Patriot air defence system, which Poland had purchased as part of the first of the two planned stages of the Vistula medium-range air defence programme, would have been delivered by the end of the year.
“Of course, the next phase will be implemented,” explained.
In addition to air and missile defence systems, the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defence described the procurement of armed drones as the most urgent task of retrofitting.
“The Russia-Ukraine conflict has outlined areas – a lesson for the countries bordering the North Atlantic Alliance, including Poland – in which special investment is needed,” he said.
This included unmanned aerial vehicles capable of transporting weapons. He recalled that last year Poland bought the Turkish system Bayraktar TB2.
Two days ago, US troops in Europe had temporarily brought two batteries of the Patriot kit from Germany to Poland to counter “potential threats” to Allied territory in connection with Russia’s war against Ukraine. The U.S. forces stressed that the transfer is “defensive and preventive against all potential threats to the U.S. forces and allies and their territory” and “will not in any way support any offensive action.”
The Patriot system used by the US Land Forces was selected by Poland in April 2015. In 2018, a contract was signed for the supply of two Patriot batteries (16 anti-missile and anti-aircraft units). The contract value for the first of the two planned phases of the Wisła programme was USD 4.75 billion.