Poland procures four reconnaissance balloons

2024-05-22 13:18 update: 2024-05-23, 12:13
Photo PAP/Leszek Szymanski
Photo PAP/Leszek Szymanski
The Polish defence minister has signed a deal with the United States for the delivery of four reconnaissance aerostats, or balloons equipped with radars, valued at USD 960 million in total.

After signing the contract in Warsaw on Wednesday, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the deal "defines our security and is yet another act of cooperation between Poland and the United States."

The purchase will be financed by a loan granted to Poland by the US government, Kosiniak-Kamysz said, adding that Poland would be only the second country in the world to use this kind of radar systems.

Explaining the rationale for the purchase, the defence minister said that Russia's war in Ukraine has proved how important is multi-layer reconnaissance.

The four balloons with suspended radars will complement Poland's existing air defence and reconnaissance systems. Capable of detecting planes, drones, boats and missiles from up to 300 kilometres, the aerostats, will be deployed along the country's eastern and north-eastern borders. (PAP)
jd/jch

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