Warsaw, April 28 (AFP\/APP): Poland on Friday announced it had signed a \u00a31.9-billion ($2.4-billion) air defence deal with the UK arm of Europe’s MBDA, which will provide missiles and missile launchers.<\/p>\n
The government of the EU member — one of the staunchest supporters of war-torn Ukraine since Russia’s invasion more than a year ago — said the deal would boost Poland’s aerial defence.<\/p>\n
It concerns “the supply of 44 iLaunchers and several hundred CAMM missiles as well as accompanying equipment”, Poland’s armament agency said.<\/p>\n
“The value of the order is around \u00a31.9 billion… Deliveries of the military equipment will take place in 2025-2029,” it added.<\/p>\n
Missile maker MBDA called the deal “the largest European short-range air defence acquisition programme in NATO”.<\/p>\n
The missiles and missile launchers will go “to support Poland’s modernisation and manufacture of a total of 22 PILICA+ air defence batteries.”<\/p>\n
A Downing Street press release said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hailed the “landmark deal… as a major boost for Euro-Atlantic security”.
\nIt added that Poland already uses MBDA’s CAMM.<\/p>\n
“It is already deployed to Poland with the British Army to protect its airspace following (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Sunak’s office said.<\/p>\n
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak tweeted that the deal would “reinforce Poland’s aerial defence capacity”.<\/p>\n
Downing Street added on Twitter that “the deal will support 500 jobs, helping to grow the economy and provide critical defence infrastructure for Poland”.<\/p>\n
Poland, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, fears being a future target of Putin’s aggression.<\/p>\n
Warsaw has urged its NATO and EU allies to ramp up military aid to Ukraine and has also stepped up its own arms purchases.<\/p>\n
Poland recently signed a batch of deals to boost its defence capabilities, including with the United States and South Korea.<\/p>\n
The EU member spent the equivalent of 2.4 percent of its GDP on the military last year, the third-highest percentage among NATO countries, according to figures from the transatlantic alliance.<\/p>\n
This year, Poland’s military spending is due to reach three percent of GDP, according to the budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Warsaw, April 28 (AFP\/APP): Poland on Friday announced it had signed a \u00a31.9-billion ($2.4-billion) air defence deal with the UK arm of Europe’s MBDA, which will provide missiles and missile launchers. The government of the EU member — one of the staunchest supporters of war-torn […]<\/p>\n
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