Poland Buys $2 Billion in F-35s, Patriot Missiles & Abrams Tanks

By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News

Poland has agreed to buy $2 billion worth of American-made military equipment such as F-35 fighters, Patriot air-defense systems and M-1 Abrams tanks – and the Poles will pay for it with a loan from the US.

The State Department announced the deal, which is covered by the Foreign Military Financing program, saying it will further strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. It’s the second $2 billion loan to Poland in less than a year.

In a press release, US officials highlighted what they see as Poland’s contributions during the war between Russia and Ukraine, with whom Poland shares a 332 mile border. “Poland is a leader in NATO, currently spending four percent of GDP on defense, the highest in the alliance. Poland hosts thousands of US and Allied forces, including US V Corps (Forward) in Poznan,” the release said.

That facility in Poznan is Poland’s first permanent military outpost. Since 2014, the US has sent troops to Poland to train with the Polish military. In 2022, 4,700 American paratroopers were dispatched to build encampments and conduct training exercises.

The US will pay up to $60 million to subsidize the interest rate cost of the loan. According to the State Department, the military financing loans are a tool reserved for some of the US’s most important security cooperation partners.

Poland has boosted military spending since the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, which raised concerns that Vladimir Putin might eventually have Warsaw in his sights. Warsaw has already bought Patriot systems, along with Apache and Blackhawk helicopters and the HIMARS rocket launch systems.