On May 28, 2024, Poland announced its decision to purchase long-range JASSM-ER air-to-surface missiles from the United States for $735 million, marking a significant step in bolstering its defense capabilities. This acquisition, part of the rapid modernization of the Polish army, comes amid heightened security concerns due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The contract, to be signed by Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, outlines deliveries of these missiles from 2026 to 2030.
The JASSM-ER missiles, with a range of approximately 1,000 km, are intended to enhance Poland’s ability to target threats far from the front lines, a capability deemed crucial by the Polish Ministry of Defense. This decision is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Poland’s deterrence capabilities against potential Russian aggression. The US Congress approved the sale of various air defense missiles to Poland in March, following the US State Department’s approval earlier that month.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published three approvals from the US Department of State for the potential sale to Poland of nearly 1,800 air missiles of three types for a total value of $3.7 billion. The first approval involves the sale of 821 AGM-158B-2 JASSM-ER cruise missiles, including classified test equipment, weapon system support, integration support and equipment, test delivery and support for classified software, unclassified publications, technical documentation, transport, and engineering, technical, and logistics support from Lockheed Martin, with an estimated total cost of $1.77 billion.