Poland Targets New Defence Partnerships With Philippines After Helicopter Sale
Poland's Expanding Defence Cooperation With the Philippines
MANILA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Poland is seeking new defence partnerships with the Philippines, a senior foreign ministry official said on Tuesday, after completing the delivery of Black Hawk helicopters to Manila last month.
Poland's Defence Investments and Export Ambitions
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, who was in Manila for annual political consultations with the Philippines, said Poland is investing nearly $50 billion for its defence industry and could sell military hardware abroad, including to the Philippines.
Potential Military Hardware Exports
• Bartoszewski said Poland could sell both reconnaissance and fighting drones, radar equipment, anti-aircraft missiles and armored personnel carriers. A Philippine military delegation recently visited Poland to look into equipment that Manila can buy, he said.
Recent Black Hawk Helicopter Deal
• The Philippines acquired 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters from Polish Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec in a deal worth 32 billion pesos ($509.60 million) in 2022. The delivery of the last seven helicopters was completed last month, the Philippine military said.
Broader Regional Defence Partnerships
Ongoing Talks With Ukraine
• Bartoszewski said separately talks were ongoing between Ukraine and Poland for the transfer of Warsaw's MiG-29 fighter jets in exchange for drone technology from Kyiv.
Potential Jet Refurbishment and Technology Exchange
• Bartoszewski said the two sides are discussing whether to refurbish the jets before transferring them to Ukraine as well as the kind of technology Warsaw gets in return.
Poland's Support for Ukraine
• Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022, providing military aid and serving as a key logistics hub for Western assistance.
Additional Information
($1 = 62.7940 Philippine pesos)
(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty)
