"The only one in the world outside the US." A maintenance center for Patriot missiles used by countries in the region will be located in Poland
Poland has been selected to host a maintenance center for PAC-3 interceptor missiles used by Patriot air defense systems, Deputy Defense Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka announced on October 27.
The facility is expected to service missiles belonging to Poland and other countries in the region, potentially reducing the time needed to send interceptors to the United States for maintenance.
"Historic decision! A service center for PAC-3 missiles used by Patriot systems will be established in Poland," Sobkowiak-Czarnecka wrote on X.
She said Poland competed with Germany, the Netherlands and Norway to host the facility, and that the Polish proposal received the highest evaluation during the application process.
The decision followed months of negotiations with the United States, she added.
According to Polish broadcaster RMF24, shipping missiles to the United States for servicing and returning them to Europe currently takes more than a year.
The new center could help shorten that process for European Patriot operators, although no opening date has been announced.
Sobkowiak-Czarnecka did not disclose where in Poland the facility would be built or what role Polish defense companies would play.
The project concerns missile maintenance, not production. Poland has separately proposed hosting a Patriot missile manufacturing facility, subject to US licensing.