Poland strengthens defenses with $1.33bn (£1 billion) missile deal from US
The US State Department has approved the sale of 400 medium-range air-to-air AIM-120D missiles to Poland for a price of up to $1.33 billion (£1 billion), according to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
According to the statement, Poland is set to purchase 400 AIM-120D3 AMRAAM missiles with a range of up to 180 kilometres, along with 16 guidance sections and other related equipment. The price estimated by the Pentagon is $1.33 billion (£1 billion).
Poland to buy 400 air-to-air missiles from the USA
This decision was also announced on the X platform by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
"The strategic cooperation between Poland and the USA is yielding results – the latest air-to-air missiles will be delivered to our Air Force! The US State Department has just approved Poland's purchase of 400 of the latest AIM-120D3 missiles. Their range reaches up to 180 kilometres. This is another step in the major modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces," the Deputy Prime Minister assessed.
As mentioned in the DSCA statement, the purchase of the missiles aims to "enhance Poland's ability to face current and future threats by providing air defence to protect Polish and allied armed forces in transition or combat periods, as well as significantly increase Poland's contribution to meeting NATO requirements."
This is yet another batch of aviation ammunition purchased by Poland from the USA. A year earlier, the Ministry of National Defence signed an agreement for an unspecified number of an older version of the same missiles, the AIM-120C, for $850 million (£634 million). These missiles are to be used as ammunition for the Polish Hawks, that is, the F-16s. Additionally, Poland also ordered 800 JASSM air-to-ground missiles with a range of nearly 1,000 kilometres for a maximum price of $1.33 billion (£1 billion) and 232 short-range tactical air-to-air AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles for a price of up to $163 million (£121 million).
