The order includes 45,000 ‘Grot’ assault rifles, 13,000 VIS 100 pistols and 1,300 underbarrel grenade launchers.
The Polish army is expected to receive the weapons between 2026 and 2029.
“We are investing in Polish companies and equipping Polish soldiers – these are the best contracts you can sign,”, said Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at the signing ceremony.
The ‘Grot’ 5.56 mm-caliber rifle is an original Polish construction and is exclusively produced at the Łucznik factory in Radom.
The Polish military has already received 150,000 such weapons. They are set to become the army’s standard-issue rifle, despite some previous issues with reliability.
The Łucznik factory, which is a part of the state-owned Polish Arms Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa), has benefited hugely from the government’s decision to equip its soldiers with Polish-made guns.
Earlier this year, the factory began a nearly €6 million expansion of its production facilities, which will lead to its employee headcount increasing by 200 people to 600.
Łucznik has increased production this year by over 60% and looks likely to carry the growth momentum into 2025, capitalizing on Poland’s lavish defense spending in recent years.
Kosiniak-Kamysz hinted that another military contract would be signed soon. “The biggest surprises, I think, are lined up for the beginning of next week,” he said.
With war raging in neighboring Ukraine, Poland currently spends 4.7% of its GDP on its military, the highest proportion in NATO.
In the last month alone Poland has signed a $310 million agreement for U.S.-made MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and a $175 million deal, also with the U.S., for 232 air-to-air AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles for its fighter jets.
Other Polish military deals in recent years include a multi-billion-dollar arms contract with South Korea, as well as orders for F-35 aircraft, Patriot missile systems and Abrams battle tanks from the U.S.
