Minister of National Defence Mariusz Blaszczak met with soldiers of the 37th Air Defence Missile Squadron (37 DROP) beginning their duty on PATRIOT system elements as part of the process of strengthening the Polish Air Defence System.

“Modern anti-aircraft and anti-missile equipment, acquired and deployed over the past few years, realistically strengthens the security of the Polish sky. We are consistently building a multi-layered, integrated air and missile defence system with the participation of Polish industry and American and British partners. The capabilities in terms of this equipment are cosmic”, said Minister Błaszczak.

“The squadron’s incorporation into the Polish Air Defence System takes place less than a year after the commencement of deliveries and integration of the PATRIOT/IBCS system, and the realisation of exercises in February in Warsaw’s Bemowo, in April in Radom, in August in Łask, as well as intensive training of the service,” reports the Ministry of National Defence (MON).

“If we compare this system to the former one, which was previously part of the equipment of the Polish Army, i.e. the still post-Soviet system, it is really a great breakthrough in the security of our homeland. But, as I emphasise, we are not stopping on this path – there is still a lot ahead of us”, announced the head of the Ministry of Defence.

During the meeting at the Warsaw-Babice airfield, Minister Błaszczak thanked soldiers for their service and informed about an increase in salaries for soldiers securing or performing on-call combat shifts in the Polish Air Defence System.

„They are people who are fascinated by operating equipment of the highest quality, of the highest class. I thank you not only with words, but also, I am grateful by an order to establish allowances for on-call shifts of soldiers of the air defence troops and the radio technical defence troops. Those allowances will provide just an additional incentive for our soldiers”, assessed the head of the defence ministry.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński