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The United States has approved a potential sale of over 2,500 anti-tank Javelin missiles and hundreds of launch units to Poland.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: The proposed $780 million arms deal would supply Poland with 2,506 FGM-148F Javelin anti-tank missiles and 253 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLUs), along with simulation rounds, spare parts, battery coolant units, toolkits, and extensive training and technical support from both US government personnel and contractors. The Javelin is a shoulder-fired, portable missile system capable of destroying tanks, bunkers, light armored vehicles, and low-flying helicopters or drones. Widely praised for its effectiveness in Ukraine, the Javelin became a symbol of early resistance against Russia’s 2022 invasion, with President Donald Trump frequently crediting the system as a key reason Russian forces were stopped from quickly overrunning Kyiv.

Getting into it: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which oversees foreign military sales, stated that the proposed Javelin package would “improve Poland’s capability to meet current and future threats by upgrading its existing legacy Command Launch Units and increasing its defense inventory.” The agency emphasized that the deal aligns with US foreign policy goals, describing Poland as “a force for political and economic stability in Europe.” The State Department noted that Poland would “have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”

This comes as Poland has rapidly increased its defense spending, emerging as one of NATO’s most heavily armed and strategically important front-line states. In addition to this Javelin deal, Poland’s military has acquired tanks, Apache attack helicopters, HIMARS rocket systems, Patriot air defense batteries, and F-35 fighter jets as part of an unprecedented modernization effort.

In 2024 alone, Poland’s defense budget surged by 31%, reaching $38 billion, or 4.2% of its GDP, with projections of 4.7% in 2025 (the highest share among all NATO members).