Poland has signed several contracts to equip its army with the “most advanced anti-drone system in Europe”, developed to protect its eastern border – which is also the external border of the EU and NATO, said Prime Minister Donald Tusk, quoted by Agence France-Presse, BTA reported.
Because of the threat from Russia, Warsaw has launched a program for accelerated modernization of the army in recent years and has concluded agreements for the purchase of weapons worth several billion zlotys for this purpose.
“This is a historic moment, we are truly at a turning point in terms of the effectiveness of the protection of Poland's eastern border, the border of Europe and the border of NATO“, Tusk said when signing the contracts.
Poland's eastern borders will be “the best protected in Europe“, he added.
The cost of the program “will be approximately“ 15 billion Polish zlotys (3.6 billion euros) and will be largely financed with European funds, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kościńska-Kamiś announced.
The construction of the anti-drone system has become an urgent need for Poland after Warsaw and its NATO allies were forced to take to the air in September when about 20 Russian drones violated Polish airspace.
The system, called "San", will complement the multi-layered air defense system being built in Poland. It includes the "Wisla" program with American "Patriot" medium-range systems, the "Narew" program with British short-range surface-to-air missiles, as well as the "Pilica" very short-range programs and “Chicken plus“.
The total value of the entire anti-aircraft