Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak on Tuesday stated that Poland would buy six more Patriot batteries. “This is the second stage of the construction of the Wisła air defense program – said Błaszczak.

The head of the Ministry of National Defense (MON) wrote on Twitter that he had signed a letter of request for the acquisition of 6 Patriot system batteries with omnidirectional radars, launchers and a reserve of missiles. He added that this marks the start of the second phase of the Wisła air defense program. In its first stage, two system batteries were purchased.

Deliveries of Patriot sets for Poland are scheduled for the end of 2022, and the initial operational readiness is to be achieved at the turn of 2023/2024. In February, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed its intention to implement the second phase of the Wisła program, making decisions dependent on the results of the new radar for Patriot sets.

Poland chose the Patriot system as the basis for the Wisła medium-range air defense program in April 2015. In April 2018, as part of the first of the two assumed phases of the Wisła program, it signed a contract for two batteries (16 launchers) worth $ 4.75 billion. The Polish systems will be armed with PAC-3 MSE missiles from Lockheed Martin. The sets for Poland will be integrated with the new Northrop Grumman IBCS battlefield management system, being developed for the American land forces.

Błaszczak announced that the Ministry of National Defense would soon announce inquiries regarding the purchase of HIMARS missile artillery sets with a range of 300 km, and noted that Poland would continue its military support for Ukraine.

“We are strengthening Ukraine so that Poland will be safer. It is in Poland’s interest that Ukraine is free”, emphasized the minister and added that Ukrainians, while defending their independence, defend freedom in Europe and freedom in Poland.