Poland and the U.S. signed an agreement on Thursday worth approximately $2.5 billion for additional future deliveries of the Northrop Grumman [NOC]-built Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
The new letter of offer and acceptance supports Poland’s purchase of IBCS equipment in support of its NAREW short-range air defense modernization program and the second phase of WISLA air and missile defense upgrade effort, according to the country’s Ministry of Defense.
“Thanks to this system, the Wisła and Narew programs will be the most modern in the world. We will be the second country after the United States with this system – an integrated and state-of-the-art command system. This [system is used] to first locate the object, then identify it and finally neutralize it. Defending the Polish sky is not only a matter of honor for us, but it is also a matter of safety for us every day, for each of our compatriots,” Poland Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a statement translated from Polish.
Poland signed on to become the first international IBCS operator after agreeing to a $4.75 billion deal with the U.S. in March 2018 to purchase the Patriot missile defense system along with the new Northrop Grumman-built battle command system in support of the first phase of its WISLA air and missile defense modernization program (Defense Daily, March 28, 2018).
Northrop Grumman said last September that Poland’s 37th Air Defense Squadron had reached basic operational capability (BOC) with the first set of IBCS equipment, and was progressing toward achieving initial operational capability (IOC).
The U.S. in September then approved a potential $4 billion deal with Poland for more IBCS equipment in support of the country’s air defense modernization efforts, noting it could eventually cover 93 IBCS Engagement Operation Centers and 175 IBCS Integrated Fire Control Network relays (Defense Daily, Sept. 11 2023).
Poland’s Ministry of Defense noted on Thursday the $2.5 billion includes equipment required to outfit six more WISŁA air defense batteries and 23 sets of NAREW short-range air defense capability, with deliveries expected between 2024 and 2031.
“With NAREW, Poland will be able to utilize a single C2 system for its short-range air defense & WISLA medium-range air defense systems,” Northrop Grumman said in a social media statement.
The U.S. Army in December 2021 awarded Northrop Grumman a potential $1.4 billion deal for IBCS low-rate production and the program was then approved for full rate production last April (Defense Daily, April 12 2023).
Northrop Grumman announced earlier this year it has started delivering the first major IBCS production components to the U.S. Army, with the service planning to field to the first unit by the end of FY ‘24 (Defense Daily, Feb. 2).