UK and Poland sign £4bn deal to deliver next-generation air-defence system to Warsaw

Believed to be the largest commercial agreement ever secured between the two countries

A soldier in front of a Patriot surface-to-air missile system during a military exercise at Warsaw-Babice Airport, Poland, in February. AFP

The UK and Poland have signed a £4 billion ($4.9 billion) deal to deliver a next-generation air-defence system to Warsaw in what is believed to be the largest commercial agreement between the two countries.

Under the terms, the British arm of defence company MBDA will provide a ground-based air-defence system capable of countering cruise missiles and fighter jets at ranges of more than 40km, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said.

"This is another crucial step forward for our historic defence ties with Poland, supplying next-generation air-defence capabilities to act as a clear deterrent to our adversaries," British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said.

The Warsaw government had asked the UK for new air-defence support and technology to help it repel Russian missiles, drones and spy balloons in the summer, after a series of suspected incursions into Polish air space over the past year amid heightened concern in Warsaw about spill-over from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The agreement will export more than 1,000 Camm-ER missiles – common anti-air modular missiles that can destroy modern air threats such as stealth aircraft and high-speed missiles – as well as 100 iLaunchers. The missiles will be developed in co-operation between the UK and Italy.

"The agreement also covers extensive technology transfer ensuring the production of rockets and launchers in Poland," Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The air-defence system, known as Narew, will also use the US Integrated Battle Command System and Polish radars.

MBDA, a joint venture between France's Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo, said the deal would be transformative for Poland's complex weapons capabilities.

Poland’s outgoing nationalist government has been ramping up military purchases from countries including the US and South Korea in response to Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Next year’s budget foresees defence spending at 4 per cent of economic output.