Poland boosts air defence with $5.8bn (€5.1bn) missile order

• Poland has placed an order for 788 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot air defence systems, as recorded in the US Congress diary. The value of the order amounts to $5.8 (€5.1) billion.
• The US Congress has 30 days to review the order, after which approval must be issued by the Department of State. This is standard procedure for such transactions.
• Poland previously ordered 208 PAC-3 missiles, which have a range of about 35 kilometres and are used to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

The Polish government has submitted an offer to purchase 788 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot air defence systems. The estimated value of this order is $5.8 (€5.1) billion. According to documents, four days before 15 May, the head of the Pentagon agency, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), notified the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the additional order by Poland.

The order for PAC-2 GEM-T missiles is part of a larger strategy to modernise Poland's air defence. Previously, in 2017, Poland ordered four Patriot system batteries, which, together with this new order, raises the maximum price of the entire contract to $16.3 (€14.3) billion. The PAC-2 GEM-T missiles are designed to intercept short-range tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.

According to regulations, Congress now has 30 days to review the order and potentially veto it, after which the State Department must give its approval.

According to information provided last year by the "Defence News" portal, citing statements from the head of Raytheon, the company has the capacity to produce 20 missiles per month. Last year, Raytheon had backorders for 1,500 missiles. President Joe Biden's administration has prioritised the delivery of the Patriot system to Ukraine. This week, Ukraine's Defence Minister, Rustem Umierov, had a meeting with Raytheon's leadership to discuss the purchase of additional systems and missiles.