PRESS RELEASE : UK strengthens defence export ties with Poland [September 2023]

• Defence Minister James Cartlidge attends Poland’s largest defence trade show.
• UK deepening defence ties with key Nato Ally, building on furthering of cooperation with Poland through export contracts and deployments.
• Celebrating positive step in Poland’s NAREW ground-based air defence programme.

The UK and Poland have strengthened their defence ties today as Defence Minister James Cartlidge visited MSPO in Kielce, Poland.

The largest defence trade fair in Poland, attracting delegations from across the world, MSPO brings together nations to collaborate on, discuss and view some of the world’s leading defence equipment, capabilities and ambitions.

During the visit, Cartlidge met with the Head of Poland’s National Security Bureau, Jacek Siewiera, and Deputy Defence Minister Michał Wiśniewski, and engaged a number of the UK’s key Defence companies displaying at the event – including MBDA, Babcock and BAE Systems. Cartlidge discussed how the UK defence industry can further support the Polish Armed Forces through future defence exports and deployments.

The UK and Poland are historic defence partners and NATO Allies and will continue to work closely together on key strategic defence programmes, including Poland’s air defence programme, supporting the economies of both nations.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, said:

Poland is one of our closest Allies and a key strategic partner as we work together to bolster European security in the wake of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Through crucial defence export programmes, we continue to support Poland’s defence modernisation plans, as they strengthen their defence capabilities.

Earlier this year, the UK and Poland announced the first stage of a programme to deliver the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) to Poland in a £1.9 billion contract – the largest ever defence export contract between the two nations.

In a contract supporting hundreds of jobs across the UK and Poland delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, UK firm MBDA completed the landmark deal with the Polish government in April 2023, agreeing to provide Poland with cutting-edge, ground-based-air-defence capabilities that will protect the country for generations to come.

Today, at MSPO, the Polish government signed an agreement with Polish defence company PGZ, paving the way for Poland to develop another enhanced ground-based air defence system called NAREW, again in co-operation with MBDA.

The UK welcomes the news that the executive agreement on NAREW has been signed between the Polish Ministry of National Defence and PGZ. This is a critical milestone in this important air defence programme which the UK MOD continues to support.

This visit also builds on the UK-Polish Defence Treaty and the UK–Poland Defence and Security Strategic Partnership 2030 announced in July this year, which will be of long-term benefit to the defence, jobs and skills of both nations, strengthening bi-lateral relations.

The UK and Poland are close Allies, with hundreds of British troops deployed to the country at any one time. That includes the recent deployments of Challenger 2 tanks and Sky Sabre air defence systems to Poland.