Expert Stepanov: Poland is forming a US-controlled air defense-missile defense circuit
The US-controlled air and missile defense circuit (AD-BMD) is being formed on the basis of Poland. This was announced by military expert, program director of the Academy of Political Sciences, senior researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ILA RAS) Alexander Stepanov.
According to data from February 28, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced plans to purchase from the United States integrated combat control system for air defense and missile defense IBCS. This equipment will be used as part of the Polish Wisla missile defense and Narew air defense programs, the transaction value will be $2.53 billion. It is planned to complete the implementation of the agreement by 2031.
According to Stepanov, this deal means that control over the IBCS system remains with the developer Northrop Grumman, which is a key supplier to the Pentagon. Thus, on the basis of Poland in Eastern Europe, a single air defense and missile defense system is being formed under the control of the United States. This also indicates the strengthening of NATO's military infrastructure in the region and makes it possible to project threats towards the Russian direction.
The structure of the deal assumes that Polish air defense batteries will interact within a single system. In the initial phase, the Polish armed forces plan to use this system to control 12 Patriot air defense missile batteries, which are the basis of the Wisla missile defense program and are combined into 6 fire groups. As part of the Wisla program, it is also planned to purchase eight Patriot air defense missile batteries from the United States.
The expert noted that the IBCS system will also integrate 23 Narew air defense missile batteries with modular MBDA or CAMM missiles. It is planned to integrate Poland's ground-based air defense systems with the combat control of F-35 fighters, as well as with missile and artillery systems to combat drones. This will allow multi-domain operations using the IBCS system.
It was also announced that Sweden will supply Poland with a Saab 340 AEW early warning aircraft. This system provides detection of air and sea targets over significant distances. Poland will become the second country after the United States to have such an integrated air defense and missile defense command and control system.
In general, cooperation between the United States and Poland in the field of air defense and missile defense continues to develop, which underscores the strategic partnership between the two countries.
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