United States Offered Poland 250 Used Stryker APCs for 1 Dollar

The United States has offered to sell Poland 250 used Stryker armored personnel carriers from the US Army units that are planned to be withdrawn from Europe for a symbolic $1.

This was reported by Breaking Defense, citing Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysh.

He stated that according to the proposed plan, Stryker APCs currently in Europe will be transferred to Poland instead of being sent back to the United States after the reduction of the American contingent on the continent.

The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces has already supported the idea of accepting this proposal, and the final decision is up to the Polish Ministry of National Defence.

“After a preliminary analysis, we agreed that the military will check their technical condition and assess their suitability for our Armed Forces – whether it is good material for training, for combat operations, and whether we need this type of equipment… I am open to a positive recommendation on the feasibility of using this weapon,” Kosiniak-Kamysh explained.

However, as the publication notes, this agreement has obvious challenges. First, used Stryker APCs will need to be repaired and possibly modernized. In addition, a full system of technical support and training will need to be established, as these vehicles have not been used in the Polish army before. This could prove to be an expensive and time-consuming process, and outsourcing the work to foreign companies would further increase costs.

Secondly, the deal could have an impact on Poland’s defense industry at a time when the government is declaring the priority of local production in defense contracts.

Presumably, Stryker will partially cover the needs of the ground forces that could be met by Rosomak BMPs, reducing the need for new domestic orders. Currently, the army has more than 900 Rosomak infantry fighting vehicles, which are produced in Poland in an upgraded version with the ZSSW-30 turret. In late November, the Polish army received a new batch of these armored vehicles.

However, the minister said that the more weapons the Polish troops have, the better, and the price in this case is more than attractive. He also noted that mastering different types of equipment prepares the Polish military to interact with allies, some of whom also use Stryker.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, General Wiesław Kukuła, also dismissed fears that the introduction of a new type of equipment would hinder the development of the Polish defense industry. In agreement with the United States, the next step will be a direct inspection of the technical condition.

According to the general, if the security situation remains unchanged, the final decision should be made in the second half of 2026.

According to Polish Radio, the Stryker will be delivered to the units of the 18th Mechanized Division, which is already receiving American Abrams tanks.