Poland to acquire Patriot system under US Army’s $1.5bn FMS contract

Raytheon has secured a new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract, worth more than $1.5bn, from the US Army to manufacture Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (Patriot) missile units for Poland.

Under the deal, the company will be responsible for the production and delivery of four Patriot integrated air and missile defence systems, in addition to spare parts, support and training.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems Business of Integrated Air and Missile Defense vice-president Tom Laliberty said: “Patriot will enhance Polish, European and NATO security while creating jobs in Poland and the US.”

Expected to be completed on 31 December 2022, work on the project will be carried out in Andover, Massachusetts; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Merrimack, New Hampshire.

The Patriot missile defence system comprises radars, command-and-control technology and different types of interceptors. It is used to detect, identify and defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, advanced aircraft and other emerging threats.

The integrated air and missile defence system helps defend and protect NATO and Europe against a range of ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD), the current contract is for Phase I of Poland’s two-phase medium-range integrated air and missile defence procurement programme, WISLA.

Under Phase II of the WISLA programme, Poland intends to purchase additional Patriot fire units, in addition to gallium nitride-based 360° active electronically scanning array radars and the low-cost interceptor missile SkyCeptor.

On 28 March this year, the governments of Poland and the US signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition of the Raytheon-built Patriot system.