Poland will spend 33.6 billion euros for its deterrent forces

Poland will spend ten years in 140 billion zloty (33.6 billion euros) to modernize its armed forces and develop deterrents, said Wednesday the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski.

 

Modernization of the armed forces is our priority for the next decade. During this decade, we will spend almost 140 billion zlotys. We build deterrents - we will provide missiles, helicopters, armored vehicles, submarines and drones, he said in presenting to Parliament the policy priorities.

We will have our own air defense system. Our national shield with the American shield, whose elements will be installed on our territory in 2018, will be part of the NATO system. The Atlantic Alliance remains for us outside the main guarantor of security, said Mr. Sikorski also stressed that the United States remained the main partner of Poland outside the European continent.

The United States had announced Friday restructuring their missile program, now provides the deployment of 14 missile interceptors in Alaska to further deal with the North Korean threat. In Europe, where it is intended to counter potential fire from Iran, the program is still deployment by 2018 of 24 missile interceptors in Romania SM3-IIA and as Poland.

In his speech to MPs, the Minister also announced the reduction of the Polish contingent in Afghanistan to 1,000 soldiers in October 1800 against current and held this autumn in Poland a major NATO military exercise in the codenamed Steadfast Jazz, especially with the participation of American and French military.

In October 2012, the Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak had estimated the cost of the modernization of the army about 24 billion euros in ten years.

Poland, a former communist country of 38 million people joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004, has quickly modernize his army, some of its defense systems dating from the Soviet era.

Unlike many European countries, Poland has maintained its growth throughout the global crisis, has maintained the defense budget up to 1.95% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).