Europe's Arms-Buy Catch-22: Delays in US Deliveries Push Allies Toward Alternatives
European nations face a Catch-22: Washington pressures allies to buy American weapons, but long and uncertain U.S. delivery times (often 2029–2030) are prompting purchases from alternative suppliers. Poland, while valuing U.S. systems, has increasingly turned to South Korea—signing multi‑billion‑dollar deals for K2 tanks and related vehicles and building local MRO hubs—because other options arrive faster and more reliably. Analysts warn these delays could erode American arms dominance even as U.S. policy reforms on Foreign Military Sales/Financing reshape procurement dynamics.