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| Europe |
| Poland Seeking Submarine-Launch Cruise Missiles, Patriot Missiles |
| 2015-03-15 |
| [AnNahar] Poland is seeking advanced cruise missiles to equip three new submarines it wants to acquire by 2030, the NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... member's minister of defense said Thursday. Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed on Polish public radio that Poland had asked the United States about the availability of Raytheon's Tomahawk cruise missiles. "Last year, I decided that Polish vessels should be able (to launch cruise missiles) and we are speaking to all those able to deliver this kind of weapon, including the Americans," he said. Procedures to begin the submarine tender could be launched this year, the minister added. If Washington greenlights the sale of Tomahawks to Warsaw, they could compete in the Polish tender against La Belle France's MdCN missile systems exclusively used to equip submarines made by the country's DCNS group. Looking east to the bloody conflict gripping Ukraine, Poland has kicked off an unprecedented military spending spree worth some 33.6 billion euros ($42 billion) to overhaul its forces over a decade. Its long shopping list includes an anti-missile shield and anti-aircraft systems, armored personnel carriers and submarines as well as combat drones. The plans bring Warsaw in line with NATO's recommended defense spending level of 2.0 percent of gross domestic product. Seventy multi-role helicopters top the list, a contract worth 2.5 billion euros. To counter an upped Russian military presence in the Baltic and Black Sea region, NATO is boosting defenses on its eastern flank with a spearhead force of 5,000 troops and command centers in the Baltic states, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. U.S. to Send Patriot Missiles for Drill in Poland [AnNahar] A U.S. Patriot missile battery will take part in a joint exercise this month with Poland designed to reassure NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... allies anxious over a resurgent Russia, the Pentagon said Friday. The Patriot systems, used to take out incoming missiles, will be deployed for the drill along with 100 U.S. soldiers and about 30 vehicles, front man Colonel Steven Warren said. "This planned exercise is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve which aims to reassure allies, demonstrate freedom of movement and deter regional aggression on the eastern flank of NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... ," Warren told news hounds. The American forces will exercise with a Polish air defense missile brigade, he said. Poland is expected to make a decision on new missile defenses later this year and the Patriot system -- manufactured by U.S.-based Raytheon -- is competing against another system by the Eurosam consortium that includes MBDA La Belle France, MBDA Italia and La Belle France's Thales Group. If Poland opts for the Patriot batteries, it would mean more U.S. troops would be deployed on the country's territory, which would be in Warsaw's interest, U.S. Ambassador to Poland Stephen Mull said last month. Poland has launched a major increase in military spending in the wake of Russia's intervention in Ukraine, with plans to invest in anti-aircraft defenses, an anti-missile shield, submarines, new helicopters and drones. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |