Poland to buy 677 mn euros of long-range missiles from US
by AFP Staff Writers
Warsaw (AFP) May 27, 2024
Poland is set to buy 677 million euros ($735 million) worth of long-range missiles from the United States to boost its defence capabilities to counter potential Russian threats, Warsaw said Monday.

The contract, which is due to be officially signed on Tuesday, is part of a rapid modernisation of the Polish army, accelerated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of being able to fire missiles at targets even far from the front line, and the range of the missiles to be purchased is around 1,000 kilometres (620 miles)," the Polish defence ministry said.

The so-called Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) will be delivered between 2026 and 2030, the ministry added.

Poland already has JASSM missiles with a range of 370 kilometres, which are used by its US-made F-16 multi-role combat aircraft.

Warsaw has increased its defence budget to around four percent of GDP, the highest figure among NATO countries.

It has also launched a series of billion-dollar purchases of military equipment, mainly from the United States and South Korea.

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