The Polish government has inked a historic €4.6 billion contract for the acquisition of British-designed ground-based air defense systems, as announced by the U.K. Ministry of Defence on

Tuesday.

This landmark agreement marks the largest commercial defense deal ever struck between Poland and the United Kingdom. Poland is set to receive 1,000 Common Anti-Air Modular Missiles – Extended Range (CAMM-ER) and 100 launchers, both of British design and manufactured by the pan-European arms firm MBDA.

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps hailed this agreement as a crucial advancement in their historic defense collaboration with Poland. The acquired air defense capabilities are intended to serve as a robust deterrent to potential adversaries.

"As historic defense partners and NATO Allies, the UK stands with Poland to defend NATO’s eastern flank and support Ukraine against Russian aggression," the U.K. Defense Ministry added.

The new air defense system will have the capacity to launch missiles against aerial threats, including cruise missiles and fighter jets, covering a range exceeding 40 kilometers.

The contract has been sealed between MBDA's U.K. division and the Polish defense giant PGZ. Moreover, the agreement encompasses technology transfer to facilitate the local production of rockets and launchers in Poland.

MBDA operates as a joint venture involving France's Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems, and Italy's Leonardo. The company expressed that this deal will be transformative for Poland's capabilities in complex weaponry. Photo: Harland Quarrington/MOD, Wikimedia commons.