Poland ready to jointly produce PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems with Ukraine
Poland has the production capacity needed to manufacture PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems and is ready to consider joint production with Ukraine. Warsaw stresses that future European production capacity should primarily help strengthen Ukrainian air defence.
As reported by Censor.NET, citing European Pravda, Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Zalewski said this in Brussels on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO’s North Atlantic Council attended by US Under Secretary of Defence Elbridge Colby.
Poland says it is ready to produce PAC-3 missiles
According to Zalewski, Poland is among the countries that have already declared their capacity to establish domestic production of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems.
"Poland is one of the countries that has declared its capacity and readiness to produce PAC-3 missiles in Poland. We regard the production of PAC-3 effectors in Europe as something important that strengthens European security," he said.
Zalewski explained that creating additional production capacity outside the United States was important not only for European allies but also for the United States itself. According to him, there is currently an evident shortage of industrial capacity to produce the required number of interceptors.
At the same time, Warsaw does not view future production as competition with Ukraine or other European countries.
"We do not want to compete with the Ukrainians, the Germans or anyone else. Therefore, if it were possible to establish some form of cooperation between companies and countries, that would be good," Zalewski stressed.
Warsaw says production should primarily help Ukraine
The Polish official separately stressed that increased production of missiles for Patriot systems should serve not only to strengthen the air defence of NATO countries.
According to him, Ukraine, which regularly uses Patriot systems to defend itself against Russian missile attacks, should be one of the main recipients of additional interceptors.
"This production should certainly support not only NATO but also Ukraine, perhaps primarily Ukraine, first and foremost," Zalewski said.
He did not rule out various formats for future cooperation, including joint Polish-Ukrainian production or broader cooperation involving Germany.
"What is important is that we have our own capacity and expertise, and we would like to participate in this production. If it turns out that this will be together with the Ukrainians, the Germans, or the Ukrainians and Germans, that is good. We do not want to compete; we want to strengthen our security," the deputy minister explained.
Warsaw holds talks with United States and Lockheed Martin
A specific model for producing PAC-3 missiles in Europe has not yet been approved. According to Zalewski, Poland remains in close contact with the US side and missile manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Warsaw is now awaiting decisions at two levels.
"We are awaiting industrial decisions on the one hand and political decisions on the other," Zalewski concluded.
Thus, Poland has so far expressed its readiness to participate in PAC-3 production and proposed cooperation with Ukraine and other partners. No final decision to launch joint Polish-Ukrainian production of interceptor missiles has yet been announced.
