Poland’s Patriot Deal Includes Interim U.S. Deployment
The need for speed counted against competing air defense missile systems in Poland’s recent selection.
The U.S. Army will deploy the Patriot air defense missile system to Poland, ahead of that country’s receipt of its own, recently selected systems. (Photo: Raytheon)
The U.S. Army will deploy the Patriot air defense missile system to Poland, ahead of that country’s receipt of its own, recently selected systems. (Photo: Raytheon)

The U.S. government will guarantee the defense of Polish airspace for up to two years by placing U.S. Army Patriot PAC-3 batteries in Poland until that country receives the first two of its own eight batteries. Poland selected the Patriot system last April, in preference to the MBDA France/Thales Sol-Air Moyenne Portée/Terrestre (SAMP/T) system firing Aster 30 missiles. Poland’s PAC-3 batteries will each have three fire units, loaded with a mix of the Raytheon PAC-2 GEM-T and Lockheed Martin PAC-3 missile segment enhancement (MSE) missiles.