"We have achieved the goal. Polish Patriots are being integrated as we proceed to build a multi-layer, based on components produced by the Polish armament industry, air defense system," Blaszczak said following the system’s test as quoted by the Polish defense ministry on Twitter.
Poland tested its first Patriot missile defense system on Friday at its base camp Torun.
Poland plans to create an intermediate-range air defense system in the country based on Patriot missile defense. Under the contract Warsaw signed with the US in 2018, the first two batteries of Patriots were delivered to Poland earlier this year. The Polish military also said it was going to purchase six additional batteries.
Warsaw and Washington have numerous programs intended to boost their military cooperation and increase US military exports to Poland, including the Patriot program, the HIMARS program for M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, and the program for the purchase of F35 fighter jets, as well as the recently started program for the purchase of Abrams tanks.
After the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, the US decided to deploy an additional 4,700 American troops to Poland on top of the nearly 5,000 military personnel which are routinely located in the country.