Representational Image. ANI
Washington: The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of long-range missiles, rockets, and launchers to Poland in a deal worth up to $10 billion, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.
Poland has been on a spending spree to modernize its military while simultaneously donating older weapons to its neighbor Ukraine to fight Russia’s invasion, new agency Reuters reported.
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which Kyiv has praised for their military successes such as destroying Russian command posts and stores, are included in the potential sale.
18 HIMARS launchers, 45 185-mile (297-km) Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, and over 1,559 Guided Multiple Rocket Launch System (GMLRS) rockets are included in the package.
The United States has rebuffed Ukraine’s requests for ATACMS missiles and Poland would not be allowed to transfer any to Ukraine without U.S. approval.
On Tuesday, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the Pentagon informed Congress of the potential sale.
According to the Pentagon, “The proposed sale will improve Poland’s military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies”
The deal comes after Poland gained approvals in 2022 to purchase 250 General Dynamics M1A2 tanks and 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks.Poland asked the United States for 500 more HIMARS launchers in May, but Lockheed Martin Corp. reportedly told them they could only provide 200. Poland and South Korea agreed to a purchase of 288 Chunmoo rocket launchers in October.
The notification does not represent the conclusion of discussions or the execution of a contract, notwithstanding approval by the State Department.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak stated on Twitter that “”The great reinforcement of the Polish artillery is getting closers.”The Pentagon said Lockheed was the prime contractor for the weapons.
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