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Poland speeds up missile defence plan amid Ukraine crisis
* Poland to choose best tender offer within weeks
* Bids from France, Israel, U.S. in running
* Faster timeframe reflects crisis in next-door Ukraine (Adds quotes, details)
By Marcin Goettig and Andrea Shalal
WARSAW/WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Poland has decided to speed up its tender for a missile defence system, a defence ministry spokesman said on Thursday, in a sign of Warsaw's disquiet over the tension between neighbouring Ukraine and Russia.
"The issues related with Poland's air defence will be accelerated," spokesman Jacek Sonta said. "Poland plans to choose the best offer for its missile defence in the next few weeks."
The NATO member had planned to reduce the number of bidders by June, but the crisis in Ukraine and concerns about Russia's annexation of Crimea have prompted officials to speed up the timetable.
There are four bidders: France's Thales, in a consortium with European group MBDA and the Polish state defence group; the Israeli government; Raytheon of the United States; and the MEADS consortium led by Lockheed Martin.
The spokesman added that Poland would like to sign the final agreement on the construction of the missile shield this year.
One of the bidders, MEADS, said the tender was worth about $5 billion, but experts say the whole missile shield will be worth up to 40 billion zlotys ($13.1 billion), including maintenance costs. It is to be completed by the end of 2022.
Poland fell under Soviet domination after World War Two, along with the rest of Eastern Europe, but was one of the first to shake off Communist rule in 1989. It has taken an active diplomatic role in the crisis over Ukraine, including by requesting NATO consultations earlier this month.
U.S. Congressman Stephen Lynch welcomed Poland's decision to speed up its defence plans.
"I think the action in Crimea makes it abundantly clear that NATO needs to do more to upgrade its defences, not just missile defences," the Massachusetts Democrat told Reuters.
"But certainly I can fully support the decision by Poland to expedite that whole process and I think it's entirely appropriate that we should support that effort," he added.
The first phase of the Polish system is to comprise eight sets of mid-range interceptor rockets, which may later be supplemented by short-range and long-range ones. Poland has already passed legislation to secure funding for the shield, the defence ministry spokesman said.
The planned system is separate from elements of a U.S. missile shield to be deployed in Poland by 2018, as confirmed by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on a visit to Warsaw this week. ($1 = 3.0482 Polish Zlotys) (Additional reporting by Dan Williams; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
UPDATE 1-Poland speeds up missile defence plan amid Ukraine crisis| Reuters
