Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced September 3 that his ministry “sent two letters of request today” to the United States regarding Poland’s plan to acquire C-130H Hercules transport aircraft and a batch of Javelin anti-tank missile systems.
Warsaw intends to expand its fleet of combat-proven C-130 transport aircraft to 10 within five years. Under the request, Poland plans to buy five more C-130H in addition to its existing fleet of five Hercules aircraft. The Polish Air Force currently operates five Hercules C-130E aircraft.
The Polish Air Force received its first of five secondhand C-130E tactical transport planes on March, 2009.
Originally ordered by the U.S. Air Force in 1970, Poland’s aircraft were refurbished by L-3 Communications Integrated Systems in Waco, Texas. Including the installation of replacement center wing boxes sourced from aircraft ordered between 1958 and 1961, this work is expected to allow the fleet to remain in use for another 20 years.
Additionally, Poland has requested to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency to procure 60 launchers and around 185 Javelin missiles.
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said the Javelin system would be purchased for Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej (Territorial Defence Forces, WOT) light infantry units only.
