War in neighboring Ukraine
German anti-aircraft defenses protect the airport near Rzeszow in Poland
The Bundeswehr’s Patriot systems protected southeast Poland last year. Now a second mission follows – in a place that is particularly important for military aid to Kiev.
Two Bundeswehr Patriot systems will protect a strategically important airport near Rzeszow in southeastern Poland for the next six months. “These two units protect NATO alliance territory and at the same time – and this is very important – the logistical supply of Ukraine,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) after the handover in Rzeszow. Around 200 soldiers will operate the systems at the airport, which is around 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The EU and NATO country Poland is an important political and military ally of Ukraine, which is attacked by Russia. The country is filling this role with “incredible bravura, a lot of commitment and a lot of passion,” said Pistorius. Germany is also expected to temporarily relocate a troop of Eurofighter fighter aircraft to Poland in the summer. Later they were supposed to monitor the airspace over Romania.
Logistical hub for Western military aid
The airport near Rzeszow is a central logistical hub for Western military aid to Kiev. US soldiers were previously stationed there and the airport was protected by American Patriot units.
Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz thanked the Americans, who are now being replaced by the Bundeswehr. “They will now have time to overhaul their equipment, but we are confident that support from allies will continue,” he emphasized.
Second deployment of German Patriot squadrons in southeastern Poland
German Patriot squadrons were already deployed in Poland from January to November 2023. During this time, around 320 men and women from the Bundeswehr operated three Patriot systems at two locations near the town of Zamosc, 33 kilometers west of the border with Ukraine. They were supposed to protect the country’s airspace after two people were killed when a rocket hit a Polish village near the border at the end of 2022.
The Bundeswehr’s Patriot systems, manufactured in the USA, are among the most modern air defense systems in the world. They are used to combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. At a distance of around 100 kilometers and up to altitudes of 30 kilometers, the defense missiles can hit targets in an imaginary bell around the position – depending on the guided missile used.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
