Poland Signs $745 Million Contract For AARGM-ER Anti-Radar Missiles
Poland’s defense ministry announced Tuesday that it had signed a contract for the purchase of AGM-88G AARGM-ER anti-radiation missiles with a net value of $745 million.
Delivery of the over 200 missiles ordered is expected to take place between 2029 and 2035. At the contract signing ceremony, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the contract was a “breakthrough” for the future capabilities of the Polish Air Force, particularly those of the F-35As on order for the Polish Air Force.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Polish Air Force’s F-16s could be upgraded to support use of the AARGM-ER once the missile was fully operational on the F-35s. He added that the purchase achieved the dual goals of strengthening the Polish-American alliance and investing in Polish natural security, urging other NATO and European Union member states to spend more on national defense.
The AGM-88G Advanced Antiradiation Guided Missile-Extended Range is the newest and most advanced member of the AGM-88 family of missiles, with a redesigned body and new propulsion system allowing it to find and destroy hostile surface-to-air radars at ranges up to 200 kilometers away.
Other countries with export orders for the AARGM-ER include Australia, Finland and the Netherlands, with Polish Air Force Inspector Major General Nowak Ireneusz saying the contract placed Poland in an “elite club” of users.
Warsaw received approval from the United States’ Defense Security Cooperation Agency for the AARGM-ER purchase in April 2024, with the approval clearing Warsaw to procure up to 360 missiles in a package inclusive of logistical support.
The Polish Air Force currently has 32 F-35As on order, with the first two aircraft arriving at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas at the end of December. The first aircraft will be used for training Polish Air Force pilots in the United States, with the first F-35As to arrive in Poland expected to do so in 2026.