Poland Wants Stryker Armored Vehicles Which the USA Is Phasing Out of National Guard Inventory

Poland is considering the possibility of receiving Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers from the United States as part of a donor assistance program.

According to Defence24, it is not a purchase, but a free transfer of equipment that is surplus to requirements of the US Armed Forces.

According to unofficial reports, the US side has offered Warsaw to receive armored personnel carriers under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program, which provides for the transfer of surplus military equipment to allies. Poland is likely to cover the costs of repairing and modernizing the equipment.

The transfer of Stryker is linked to the Pentagon’s plans to reduce the number of these vehicles in the US National Guard. The two brigades that currently use Stryker are to be rearmed with lighter Infantry Squad Vehicles. At the same time, Stryker armored personnel carriers in the 8×8 configuration remain in service with regular US Army units.

These vehicles are well known in Poland – they regularly take part in joint exercises with Polish troops, in particular in the Orzyś and Bemowo Piske areas. They were most often used by the 2nd US Cavalry Regiment stationed in Germany. The unit has modernized Stryker with 30 mm cannons and modules with Javelin ATGMs.

The new armored personnel carriers could partially compensate for the shortage of equipment after the transfer of several hundred BMP-1s and a certain number of KTO Rosomak to Ukraine.

Poland already has experience in receiving equipment through EDA – it previously received MRAPs such as M-ATV and Cougar.