Poland ready to integrate US Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile system within its armed forces


According to a statement published by the Polish Ministry of Defense, Poland is in the final stage to integrate the American Patriot MIM-104 PAC-3 air defense system within the Polish armed forces after four years of work.
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American air defense missile system Patriot MIM-104 PAC-3 is ready to join the Polish armed forces. (Picture source Polish MoD)


The PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE), fielded in 2015, represents the next-generation PAC-3 missile and provides expanded battlespace performance against evolving threats. The PAC-3 MSE improves upon the original PAC-3 capability with a higher-performance solid rocket motor, modified lethality enhancer, more responsive control surfaces, upgraded guidance software, and insensitive munitions improvements.

In March 2018, Poland signed a contract of $4.75 billion to purchase two batteries of American Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile systems. The first units of this contract are to be delivered to the Polish armed forces this year. On May 25, 2022, Poland announced the purchase of six more American Patriot air defense missile systems. It was the second phase of the Polish army's WISLA air defense modernization program.

Citing information from the Polish Minister of Defense, the first Patriot missile launchers, radars, and the entire system was handed over to the Polish armed forces. The sky of Poland is now ready to be protected with the Patriot, the NAREW which is the British CAMM air defense system, the PIORUN MANPADS, and the PSR-A Pilica, a Polish-made Very Short Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) anti-aircraft missile and artillery system.

On October 14, in Toruń, Mariusz Błaszczak, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense in the presence of President Andrzej Duda, the Head of the Polish Armed Forces, observed the tests of Polish PATRIOTS and other elements of the “Wisła” (Vistula) air and missile defense modernization program.

The adoption and implementation of the WISŁA system in the Polish Armed Forces are conducted under the SICO (System Integration Checkout) procedure. As part of this process, Polish and American teams carry out an inventory of deliveries, final assembling military equipment, and testing the system.

The head of the Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the creation of an integrated air-defense system is possible thanks to the cooperation with foreign partners and the efforts of the domestic armament industry.

As part of SICO, all delivered elements will be checked, i.e. AN / MPQ-65 radars, EPP field power plants, ECS / RIU (Engagement Control Station / Radar Interface Unit) cabins, M903A2 launchers, and PAC-3MSE missiles, launch containers for training missiles, cryptographic equipment, special CSS 8x8 tractor units, transporters special TS EPP (Electrical Power Plan), TS LRPT (Large Repair Parts Transporter) and GMT transport and loading vehicles, command posts S-280 or IFCN radio lines.