[The US Will Deploy 1,400 Smart Bombs to the Polish Border]
On May 22, The Moscow Times reported that the US State Department approved the sale of a precision-guided weapons system worth $180 million to Poland. This move will significantly enhance the strike capability of NATO's eastern flank.
This arms sale by the US includes 1,400 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I), 4 GBU-39(T-1)/B training bombs, classified combat software and test equipment, personnel training, and logistics technical support. On April 30, the US also approved the sale of AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles (400 units) to Poland for $1.33 billion.
Estonian Defense Minister Peeterväli cited intelligence reports indicating that Russia may have gathered 800,000 troops at NATO's border. Bild disclosed that Russia is strengthening military infrastructure at alliance borders. Western analysts believe that Russia's "West-2025" military exercise could serve as cover for deploying forces in Belarus. A similar scenario occurred in 2021. Under the guise of exercises, Russian troops were pulled to the Ukrainian border. This time, Lithuania or Poland may become the target of Russia's attention.
The GBU-39/B has a range of 110 kilometers and can penetrate 1.8 meters of reinforced concrete. This model has been used on the Ukrainian battlefield.
In 2023, Poland's defense budget reached 4% of GDP (approximately $31.6 billion), one of the highest proportions in NATO.
This series of arms sales enhances Poland's aerial precision strike capabilities to "address current and future threats," strengthening the collective defense system of NATO's eastern flank. It marks the entry of NATO's eastern flank into the "smart weapon era," potentially altering the regional strategic balance.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832887609623552/
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