Poland has agreed to buy the JASSM in order to increase its long-range strike capabilities. The programme will also include upgrades to allow Poland's F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft to carry the missile. 
Poland has agreed to purchase the JASSM in order to increase its long-range strike capabilities. Source: Lockheed Martin
Poland is adding a standoff cruise missile capability to its air force, signing an agreement to buy the Lockheed Martin AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on 11 December.
In addition to the purchase of the missiles, the programme will also include the upgrade of 46 Polish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft to carry the missiles.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Polish minister of national defence and deputy prime minister, stated during the signing ceremony at the 31 Tactical Air Base at Krzesiny that "never in [Poland's] history have we had such a modern weapon".
Poland is purchasing the new capability as part of an effort to increase its airborne, naval, and land-based long-range strike assets. This is combined with new defensive missile programmes and is intended to deter hostile actions against Poland. These efforts have been given new impetus by the crisis in Ukraine and concerns about Russia's intentions.
Following the government-to-government letter of offer and acceptance on 11 December, a contract is expected to be awarded to contractor Lockheed Martin in the first quarter of 2015, a company statement said.
The agreement to buy the JASSM follows US Congress approval on 2 October of the sale of up to 40 of the stealthy cruise missiles and the F-16 upgrade package.
According to the Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD), the upgrade process for its F-16s will include the installation of retrofit kits and new software for the aircraft to Mid-Life Update tape M6.5 standard.
Beginning in 2015 two Polish F-16s will have the new software integrated and will conduct flight-trials in the United States. The remaining 44 aircraft will receive the software upgrade and retrofit kits at Polish air bases from the second half of 2016 onwards, when the country also expects to receive its first batch of missiles.
When the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notified the possible sale of the JASSM to Poland on 17 September it estimated the maximum cost of the programme at USD500 million: a figure that Polish sources previously described as "unacceptably high".
However, Polish deputy defence minister Czeslaw Mroczek, responsible for negotiating the purchase, stated that the price of the contract "was negotiated [for a] long [time], but we received a very good price and the contract includes not only the acquisition of JASSM missiles, but also the development of customised software and training".
Poland has agreed to purchase the JASSM in order to increase its long-range strike capabilities. Source: Lockheed MartinPoland is adding a standoff cruise missile capability to its air force, signing an agreement to buy the Lockheed Martin AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on 11 December.
In addition to the purchase of the missiles, the programme will also include the upgrade of 46 Polish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft to carry the missiles.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Polish minister of national defence and deputy prime minister, stated during the signing ceremony at the 31 Tactical Air Base at Krzesiny that "never in [Poland's] history have we had such a modern weapon".
Poland is purchasing the new capability as part of an effort to increase its airborne, naval, and land-based long-range strike assets. This is combined with new defensive missile programmes and is intended to deter hostile actions against Poland. These efforts have been given new impetus by the crisis in Ukraine and concerns about Russia's intentions.
Following the government-to-government letter of offer and acceptance on 11 December, a contract is expected to be awarded to contractor Lockheed Martin in the first quarter of 2015, a company statement said.
The agreement to buy the JASSM follows US Congress approval on 2 October of the sale of up to 40 of the stealthy cruise missiles and the F-16 upgrade package.
According to the Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD), the upgrade process for its F-16s will include the installation of retrofit kits and new software for the aircraft to Mid-Life Update tape M6.5 standard.
Beginning in 2015 two Polish F-16s will have the new software integrated and will conduct flight-trials in the United States. The remaining 44 aircraft will receive the software upgrade and retrofit kits at Polish air bases from the second half of 2016 onwards, when the country also expects to receive its first batch of missiles.
When the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notified the possible sale of the JASSM to Poland on 17 September it estimated the maximum cost of the programme at USD500 million: a figure that Polish sources previously described as "unacceptably high".
However, Polish deputy defence minister Czeslaw Mroczek, responsible for negotiating the purchase, stated that the price of the contract "was negotiated [for a] long [time], but we received a very good price and the contract includes not only the acquisition of JASSM missiles, but also the development of customised software and training".
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