US ambassador welcomes cruise missile sale
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
03.10.2014 12:31
US Ambassador to Poland Stephen D. Mull has welcomed the sale approval of 40 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) for the Polish armed forces.
Polish F-16 jet. Photo: wikipedia
The sale was initially mooted in April 2014, when Minister of Defence Tomasz Siemoniak held talks in Washington with Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel, and it was finalised on 2 October during the 15-day Congressional review period.
“We are very pleased that the sale of Lockheed Martin’s JASSM to Poland has been approved,” Mull commented.
“This sale demonstrates the very strong commitment of the United States to supporting Poland’s defence modernization, and will strengthen Poland’s capacity to meet current and future threats from enemy weapons systems.”
AGM-158 JASSM missiles have a range of over 370 kilometres and are “designed to destroy high-value, well-defended, fixed, and re-locatable targets.”
The missiles are due to be used by Poland's F-16 fighter jets, also purchased from the US.
Besides the JASSM missiles, the Department of State has also approved the sale of F-16 Operational Flight Plan upgrades, associated equipment, parts, training, and logistical support. The entire package will cost 500 million dollars. (nh)
Source: PAP/poland.usembassy.gov