Show caption Poland’s missile defence project is central to its broader modernisation of its armed forces. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Poland Poland seeks US approval to buy Patriot missiles in $5bn deal Polish government in final stages of negotiation with arms manufacturer Raytheon to buy eight of its missile defence systems Staff and agencies Tue 6 Sep 2016 23.35 EDT Share on Facebook

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Poland has announced it will seek formal US approval to buy eight Patriot missile defence systems from weapons maker Raytheon, marking a key move toward closing the estimated $5bn deal.

The deal called for eight systems, a Polish government statement said.

The missile defence tender is central to Warsaw’s large-scale military modernisation programme, sped up in response to the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s renewed assertiveness in the region.

Sources familiar with the proposed sale said the announcement looked like a firm commitment by Poland to move ahead. As of Tuesday afternoon the US government had not yet received the letter of request but officials expect it to arrive soon.

Wes Kremer, the president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said in a statement: “Poland’s formal request is an important milestone toward becoming the sixth Nato Patriot country and the 14th Patriot partner nation.”

Raytheon had agreed to perform at least half the value of the work in Poland, the Polish defence minister, Antoni Macierewicz, said in July.

Missile defence has been a thorny issue between Nato, the US and Russia, with Moscow strenuously objecting to plans to station systems in Europe that appeared to target its arsenal.

President Barack Obama previously shelved a Bush-era plan for missile defence in Europe, arguing a defence against missiles from Iran was more important. The WikiLeaks diplomatic cables subsequently revealed that Poland had been told a system ostensibly aimed at Iran could be adapted to guard against “missiles coming from elsewhere”, which was taken to mean Russia.

Raytheon said in its statement it had already signed eight contracts and more than 30 letters of intent with Polish companies.

With Reuters

