The US, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, has chosen Poland as the location for a European maintenance centre for PAC-3 interceptor missiles used in the Patriot systems. The facility will inspect, repair and recertify missiles that have already been manufactured. Its location in Europe should reduce the need to transport the interceptors to the US for certain procedures and minimise delays in their maintenance.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n The decision was announced on 27 October by Poland\u2019s Deputy Minister of National Defence Magdalena Sobkowiak-Charnecka<\/strong>. According to her, the decision was preceded by months of negotiations with the American side, and the Polish proposal was rated most highly right from the initial stage of the selection process.<\/p>\n Germany, the Netherlands and Norway were also in the running to host the facility. The Minister of Defence Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh<\/strong> He confirmed the outcome and thanked the negotiators.<\/p>\n The future centre will work with missiles from the family PAC-3<\/a>, in particular the PAC-3 MSE. Such interceptors are used against airborne targets, including ballistic missiles<\/a>.<\/p>\n Its tasks will include technical inspections, repairs, operational checks, maintaining operational readiness and the recertification of missile systems. It will be a maintenance facility, not a missile manufacturing plant.<\/p>\n Previously, rockets had to be transported to the United States for certain procedures to be carried out. In July, Kosinyak-Kamysh said that the process of sending them there, returning them and certifying them sometimes took up to two years.<\/p>\n The establishment of maintenance facilities in Europe is intended to reduce these lead times and increase the availability of serviceable interceptors. Lockheed Martin links the project to faster maintenance of the weapons without the need for transatlantic transport.<\/p>\n\n
The Polish entry received the highest score<\/h2>\n
The centre will inspect, repair and certify interceptors<\/h2>\n
European power companies must reduce delays in service provision<\/h2>\n
The agreement on the European network was concluded in July<\/h2>\n