The Ministry of Defense plans to spend about 60 billion zloty (12.3 billion euro) by the year 2018 to modernize Poland's armed forces.

Minister of Defense Bogdan Klich announced a plan Monday to modernize the army within 14 programs: air defense systems, combat and cargo helicopters, naval modernization, espionage and unmanned aircraft, training simulators and equipment for soldiers are just some of the areas in which the Ministry plans to improve.

“In addition to quality and price, an essential condition for purchases of foreign equipment will be it's 'Polonisation' and an increase in domestic arms production,” stated Minister Klich.

Klich announced plans to buy new LIFT combat training aircraft, Langust missile launchers, Krab self-propelled howitzers, Homar rocket launchers, as well as several more Rosomak tanks and 30 billion zloty will be spent on army modernization alone.

The Defense Minister announced that the program is intended to be innovative and will avoid “purchasing whatever is sitting on the shelf,” with the main goal of achieving a cutting-edge modern army by 2018.

The announcement for the extensive modernization project comes on the heels of confusion regarding Polish troops in Afghanistan. On Friday, media outlets announced that Poland would be increasing it's 2,000-strong force in Afghanistan by 600 soldiers, a move Klich denied Monday. The Minister did add, however, that 200 soldiers will be deployed to the region to be held in strategic reserve in case of emergency. Poland is participating in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and controls a base in the Ghazni province. (mmj)