The year 2022 is a landmark year for the Polish Army, reports the Ministry of Defence (MON). The Ministry enumerates the signing of strategic contracts for new military equipment and the supply of modern armaments for the Polish Armed Forces, the entry into force of the Homeland Defence Act, the simplification of the system of joining the army and an increase in the defence budget.

The most important event in 2022 was the enactment of the Homeland Defence Act. It increased defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP from January 2023, putting Poland among the leaders of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The Act also introduced Voluntary Basic Military Service and several beneficial solutions for soldiers and candidate soldiers. Thanks to mechanisms enabling an increase in the number of soldiers, the Polish Army is planning to achieve at least 300,000 soldiers.

The Ministry established the Armament Agency and the Technical Modernisation Council, which consolidated the dispersed tasks and competences within the military equipment acquisition system.

“Recently, we have signed contracts for AW 149 helicopters and AW101 helicopters, Chunmoo launchers, HIMARS missile systems, F-35 aircraft, FA/50 aircraft, ABRAMS tanks or observation satellites. Soldiers have already received, among others, Patriot systems, K2 tanks, K9 cannon howitzers, BAYRAKTAR drones, KORMORAN II mine destroyers, KRAB cannon howitzers, RAK mortars, Piorun sets, Pilica sets or the Mała Narew set”, reports the Ministry of Defence.

Poland has been supporting its eastern neighbours since the very beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. So far, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been provided with heavy armaments, missiles and ammunition, portable anti-aircraft missile sets, unmanned aerial vehicles, circulating ammunition, artillery systems, as well as medical, firefighting and personal protection materials. Poland has transferred more than $2bn worth of armaments to Ukraine.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński