Poland has increased its military spending by almost 100 % between 2013 and 2022, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). In 2022 alone, our country allocated more than USD 16 billion to defence and was ranked 18th in the list of global arms expenditure.

The 2023 budget adopted by the Sejm envisaged defence spending of PLN 97.4 billion, or around 3 % of GDP. However, several tens of billions of PLN from the Armed Forces Support Fund must be added to this amount. Thus, it is likely that in total, by the end of this year, Polish defence spending will exceed PLN 130 billion.

According to the budget assumptions for 2024, Poland intends to allocate (together with the Armed Forces Support Fund) – PLN 158.9 billion, or around 4.2 % of GDP, for defence.

During his visit to the Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze in Mielec, where Black Hawk helicopters for the Polish army may soon be produced, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki underlined that Poland has a huge potential in the production of modern armaments, and investments allow it to be better utilised.

Mateusz Morawiecki recalled that parts for the F-16, one of the world’s most modern fighters, are manufactured in Mielec.

“Solutions made here are exported to many countries in the world. This proves the great potential and the fact that here we can construct, build, and produce the most advanced technical devices”, he said.

“We are modernising the Polish Army at a record pace – deliveries of the most modern armaments for Polish soldiers are already reaching military units. The ordered equipment includes tanks, artillery, aircraft and also modern helicopters – AW149, Apache or Black Hawk. We pay special attention to ensure that as much as possible of the armaments for the Polish army is produced in our country”, said the head of the Polish government.

Adrian Andrzejewski