For Polish fifth-generation F-35 fighters, Warsaw managed to order the most long-range version of the AMRAAM air-to-air missile AIM-120D, which has a range, according to various sources, from 160 to 180 km.
A firm contract for these missiles was signed today, November 27, as reported by the Polish defense ministry. From disclosed data, only that it concerns AIM-120D3 AMRAAM specifically for F-35 with missile delivery timeline in 2030-2031. The contract value is about $500 million.
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The number of missiles being purchased for this amount has not been disclosed. But according to the approval from the US Department of Defense's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which was granted in April this year, Poland acquired the right to purchase up to 400 of these missileswith additional equipment and services for up to $1.33 billion, meaning $3.325 million per one if applying the maximum price.
If the price remained unchanged, this means that for $0.5 billion, the Poles could purchase 150 AIM-120D3 missiles. At the same time, it's quite possible that the price of missiles for Poland still came out slightly lower.
Because in September, Finland received approval to purchase these missiles. Then DSCA formed a maximum price for 405 AIM-120D3 missiles at $1.07 billion. That is, based on the conventional maximum price per one in comprehensive supply at $2.49 million. And if the price indeed decreased, then for $500 million, Poland can count on 200 missiles.
It's also worth adding that overall Poland plans to arm itself with 32 F-35As, which were ordered back in 2020 for $4.6 billion. The first aircraft was ready at the end of August 2024, but remained in the US for training Polish pilots and technicians. As of October, seven F-35s for Poland had already been delivered overall. And the country's defense ministry has already announced that during 2026 they expect to receive at least 11 fighters.
Considering the gap in supply of new missiles and new fighters, for the first four years Polish F-35s will be forced to use the older generation AIM-120C missile, which is in service. At the same time, this is far from Polands only air-to-air missile purchase recently.
In particular, in August 2024, Poland concluded an agreement with the US to purchase AIM-120C-8 for $850 million with delivery in 2029-2033. The number of missiles was not disclosed, but according to DSCA approval for this purchase, for 745 missiles the US wanted to receive up to $1.69 billion. That is, $2.27 million per one AIM-120C-8. So about 375 missiles could have been purchased then.
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