Poland to Host First European Patriot Missile Service Hub

Poland will host a European maintenance hub for Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles, the Pentagon announced on October 27, creating the first facility of its kind outside the United States. Polish officials said the project is intended to reduce servicing delays by allowing European operators to send missiles to Poland rather than the United States. Deputy Defence Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said the investment would cost about 1 billion zlotys and take roughly a year to become operational. The Pentagon did not announce a specific site. A plant belonging to WZE in Zielonka, near Warsaw, has been discussed as a possible location, but it has not been formally designated. The hub will service PAC-3 missiles used in Patriot air-defence systems. The Pentagon said Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden would lead supply-chain integration for the facility. It described the project as involving transatlantic industrial cooperation. Polish officials said Germany, the Netherlands and Norway competed with Poland to host the facility. U.S. Ambassador to Poland Thomas Rose indicated that Sweden was the fourth candidate instead of Norway, leaving the identities of the rival bidders...