"This is extremely important for Poland's security". MOD signs offset deals for Wisła air and missile programme

"The Polish government's response to the threats posed by aggressive Russian policy is to strengthen the Polish Armed Forces by increasing the numbers of troops and modernising equipment," the Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak was quoted as saying in a statement released by the MOD.

"We are very pleased that cooperation with the United States is proceeding so smoothly, that we are able to modernise the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces, primarily on the grounds of cooperation with the United States Army, with the armed forces of the United States, as the United States Army is simply the strongest in the world," he added.

"Both the experience and the equipment that is being provided to the Polish Military is the best in the world."

"Experience from the war in Ukraine shows that air and missile defence is very important. I am therefore very pleased that after five years we can once again finalise offset agreements which precede the next phase of our cooperation with regard to acquiring further batteries of the Patriot system for the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces," the MOD chief said.

"I thank the Armaments Agency. I would like to thank the presidents of both the Polish Armament Group and Raytheon and Lockheed Martin for very good cooperation, which resulted in 13 offset commitments worth one billion PLN," Błaszczak added.

According to the Polish MOD, the agreement ensures that "repair and production facilities will be established in Poland to support the WISŁA system, consisting of such elements as the LTAMDS radar and PAC-3 MSE missiles".

The MOD said in a statement that the inclusion of Polish companies as certified suppliers to US entities would be an important part of the signed agreements.

"Our objective was to acquire modern armaments, but our objective is also to ensure security when it comes to the supply of equipment and the servicing of this equipment. For that reason, the Polish arms industry will co-produce certain components for omnidirectional radars, super modern radars. So far, we have been using zone radars. Now they will be omnidirectional radars, which will be supplied together with the PATRIOT system," Błaszczak said.

The minister added the Polish defence industry would be able to develop missile technology. "We have already started building a laboratory in Zielonka, at the WZE Zielonka. In connection with another offset commitment, we will be able to develop the competence of the Polish arms industry precisely in this very important field."

"Another of the offset commitments concerns the possibility of producing fuel for HIMARS missiles. We are now negotiating another agreement on equipping the Polish Military with HIMARS missiles, which perform fantastically on the battlefield in the hands of the brave Ukrainians," Błaszczak said.

"The fourth offset commitment relates to the possibility of servicing, operational support when it comes to F-16 and C-130 aircraft."

The MOD chief also stressed that the deal was "extremely important for Poland's security".

"Thank you again that we were able to achieve all this. This is beneficial for the United States as well. The inclusion of the Polish potential in the chain of supply of this modern equipment, the possibility of the development of this equipment by Polish scientists, as well as the very fact of strengthening the security of our homeland through just these activities are a very important stage in our cooperation," he underscored.

"We seize opportunities to invest in the Polish arms industry whenever they occur. In the case of our cooperation with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, we have the opportunities to invest in the Polish arms industry, we have the opportunities to include the Polish arms industry in the supply chain of these companies," Błaszczak said.

"And we take advantage of these opportunities, thus investing in the security of our homeland."