Poland: The Cost of the Patriot Missile Defense System is Unacceptable to us

The price at which the United States will agree to sell to Poland the missile defense system Patriot (PAC-3 +) is unacceptable for Warsaw, Deputy Defense Minister Bartosz Kownacki  said in an interview with Defense News.

In November, the US Defense Administration (DSCA) announced the US administration's decision to sell Patriot launch units at $ 10.5 billion. Warsaw, the daily newspaper notes, is ready to invest in these weapons systems for no more than $ 7.5 billion. "This price was a surprise for us," Kownacki  said in the interview.

"This price is indeed unacceptable to us, even taking into account the considerable financial resources we have allocated to the technical modernization of the Polish armed forces. We just can not afford to spend so much money to get two batteries and rockets. "The deal, as previously announced by the DSCA, also provides Poland with four radio stations AN / MPQ-65, four fire control panels, 16 launch units, and 208 pilot missiles for the Patriot PAC-3 + system.

According to the publication, the price negotiation on this package of weapons is one of the goals of the visit to the US capital of Bartosz Kownacki  this week. "We simply can not accept such financial conditions," the deputy minister said in the interview. "We will persistently strive for a lowering of the price ... We understand that a meeting will not be enough for this reduction of price".