Possible $780 Million Sale of Javelin Missiles to Poland Gets State Department Signoff
By PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN
Poland has received an OK for a roughly $780 million purchase of advanced missile systems from the U.S. as it seeks to bolster its defenses amid growing concerns about Russian aggression.
The potential sale includes more than 2,500 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 250 advanced lightweight command launch units, and related equipment and support.
It got the State Department’s green light, according to a statement Thursday from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon office that oversees foreign military sales.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the agency said in a statement.
Javelins are portable, shoulder-fired weapons that can be used in daytime and nighttime operations. Among the most advanced anti-tank systems in the world, they can also target light armored vehicles, bunkers and low-flying helicopters or drones.
The proposed package includes training and technical assistance from U.S. government personnel and contractors. The aim is to upgrade Poland’s existing launch platforms and strengthen its ability to defend its territory and fulfill NATO requirements, the statement said.
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Brodin of the Illinois Army National Guard inspects the Javelin Field Tactical Trainer during armor ambush training with Polish troops in Torun, Poland, June 11, 2025. The State Department approved the potential sale of over 2,500 Javelin missiles to Poland as part of an approximately $780 million arms deal.
Thursday’s announcement comes on the heels of a Russian drone incursion into Poland on Sept. 10 that prompted NATO to scramble fighter jets.
Alliance planes shot down numerous drones, marking the first time that NATO was forced to take such action on its territory.
Shortly thereafter, NATO created a new mission called Eastern Sentry, aimed at increasing security on the alliance’s eastern flank.
Several thousand U.S. troops are stationed in Poland. U.S. Army Garrison Poland, headquartered in Poznan, was established in 2023 to support the growing American military presence in the country.
Earlier this month, during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the White House, President Donald Trump reaffirmed that U.S. troops were in Poland to stay.
“We’re very much aligned with Poland,” Trump told reporters at the time, saying Warsaw was interested in having an even larger U.S. troop presence in the country.
Fears of spillover from the Russia-Ukraine war have fueled Poland’s defense spending splurge in recent years. The country shares a 330-mile-long border with Ukraine and also neighbors Russia and Kremlin-allied Belarus.
Poland now spends a higher percentage of its gross domestic product on defense than any other NATO member. This year, Warsaw is expected to spend 4.7% of GDP on defense.
In 2024, Poland’s military spending increased by 31% to reach $38 billion, or 4.2% of GDP, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Original source: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-09-19/poland-javelin-missile-sale-19146255.html
