WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $15 billion sale of an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) and related equipment to Poland as it upgrades its air defenses, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Despite State Department approval, the notification did not indicate that a contract had been signed or that negotiations had concluded.
European interest in U.S. weaponry has increased with demand centered around such supplies as munitions, air defenses, communications equipment, shoulder-fired Javelin missiles and drones which have proven critical to Ukraine’s war efforts.
The package would include 48 Patriot launch stations and 644 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC) 3 Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) interceptor missiles, network links, sensors, support equipment, spares and technical support, the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale on Wednesday.
The Pentagon said Raytheon Corp and Lockheed Martin were the prime contractor for the weapons.
(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Ismail Shakil and Cynthia Osterman)