Why Poland Wants to Have the Biggest Army in Central and Eastern Europe

Poland Purchases 96 AH-64E Apache Helicopters

Under the agreement signed between Poland and the US on 13 August, 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopters (with associated equipment and weapons) are being procured for the Polish army. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said: ‘Today we have taken a strategic step to equip the Polish Army with the world's most modern AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. As part of this acquisition, we will also be able to increase the Polish defence industry's ability to maintain and modernise the helicopters under the offset agreements we have signed with our ally, the United States.’ This contract signed between the two countries represents a co-operation worth approximately 10 billion dollars. Once the 96 attack helicopters are delivered, the Polish army will become the second largest user of the Apache in the world after the US army. It will have a serious offensive capability.

Following Russia's attempt to invade Ukraine with a ‘special operation’ on 24 February 2022, Poland's threat perception increased, and it focused on increasing its military capabilities against a possible Russian attack and meeting the modernisation needs of its army. The latest deal, an extension of Poland's ‘militarisation’ process, aims to replace the old Soviet-designed Mi-2 and Mi-24 helicopters with new generation attack helicopters. The Apache contract marks the largest purchase of Western-made helicopters in Polish history.

According to the plan, Apache helicopters will be deployed to the First Aviation Brigade in Inowroclaw. The new attack helicopters, which will be taken into the inventory of the brigade stationed in the west of the country, are envisaged to be used as a strike force element of the Polish Army's ground forces' deep operations missions in any war.

The Apache sale to Poland is carried out within the scope of Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The agreement was approved by the US State Department on 21 August 2023. According to the statement made by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, in addition to 96 helicopters, related equipment and services, the deal package includes 1,844 AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles, 460 AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Surface Missiles and 508 Stinger 92K Block I missiles to Poland.

Why does Poland spend so much on armaments?

According to some sources, Poland started arming itself before the Russian aggression against Ukraine. However, the situation in Ukraine and the ongoing war are being used by the Polish government as a good reason for Poland to allocate more resources to armaments.

During a visit to Germany and the United Kingdom a few months ago, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski drew attention to the fact that Poland spends 4% of its gross domestic product on defence and that other countries should catch up. Referring to military production facilities, the Polish minister said: ‘After the end of the Cold War, we allowed the closure of production facilities in Europe. In retrospect, this looks like a mistake. It is clear that Europe is lagging behind. The European Union's (EU) defence, technology and industrial base has suffered from a lack of investment for years.’

Since the outbreak of the war, Poland has openly and angrily sided with Ukraine and immediately strengthened its relations with the country. In fact, Poland became Ukraine's leading political supporter, logistics centre, refugee shelter and major arms supplier.

I believe that Poland's geographical position worries the Polish government enough to draw it into the war in case the Ukrainian war spreads. Poland is not only a country with territories close to Russia. Poland also borders Belarus, which serves as a forward base for Russia and has Russian short-range nuclear weapons on its territory.

The rising threat perception serves as a catalyst to accelerate Poland's armament process. Indeed, by 2022, Poland has decided to allocate 2.4% of its GDP to defence spending. It ranked third in NATO, behind the United States and Greece. Nevertheless, the Polish Government has decided that much more needs to be done. Indeed, it estimates that in 2023 it will spend more than 3% of its GDP on defence, the highest in NATO and the highest proportion of the budget spent on equipment (more than 50%).

For Poland, the sixth largest economy in Europe and by far the largest in the Eastern flank, these figures mean very significant increases in personnel and equipment. Since 2012, Poland has been taking steps to expand its army and since then has recruited 118,000 additional military personnel, making it the largest army in Central and Eastern Europe with 216,000 personnel by 2024.

Ultimately, Poland plans to increase the number of troops in its ground forces to 300,000. In addition to the 96 Apache helicopters purchased from the USA, Warsaw and Washington had previously shaken hands on 366 Abrams tanks. In addition to the purchase of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, it ordered 48 AW-149M helicopters. In 2022, it signed an agreement with Rheinmetall for the supply of 50 thousand 155 mm calibre bullets. In addition, 980 K2 tanks and 648 self-propelled howitzers were also purchased from South Korea. Last April, it signed a contract with this country for the supply of the K239 Chunmoo MLRS system.

Contracts were also signed for the purchase of hundreds of HIMARS rocket launchers from the USA, many more Patriot air defence systems, 22 UK-made air defence batteries and three UK-designed frigates. Launched a domestic production project for 700 armoured combat vehicles, armoured personnel carriers and light armoured reconnaissance vehicles. The Polish Air Force is in the process of purchasing 48 FA-50 light attack aircraft from South Korea and 32 fifth-generation F-35 fighters from the United States to operate alongside the 48 F-16s in the Polish Air Force's fleet. According to some sources, Poland is also planning to purchase two squadrons of Boeing F15 EX Eagle II fighter jets.

While Poland has taken important steps towards modernising its own army, it has not neglected to provide arms aid to Ukraine. It gave MiG-29 jets, modernised T-72 tanks and 155 mm self-propelled howitzers to the Ukrainian Army.

It is claimed that Poland will have difficulties in procuring such a variety and large number of high-end equipment despite the US loan of 2 billion dollars. If the 15 October elections result in a change of government, there is talk that the current procurement policy could change. However, the main opposition also supports the growth in defence and has virtually ‘guaranteed’ that it will maintain the same line as the current government on this issue.

Poland's increasing military expenditures and growing army are moving the country into a different league in European defence. The Polish Army is now the continent's most capable land force and the anchor of the eastern wing of the European Union (EU)/NATO, capable of deterring and defeating Russia.

Poland is not alone in increasing its defence spending. Germany, France and the UK, the three largest countries on the continent in terms of population and economic size, are also pouring new resources and equipment into their militaries. However, for territorial deterrence and defence against Russian aggression against Europe's eastern flank, Europe needs to rely on Poland and Ukraine's resilience as the backbone of its eastern defence.

Conclusion

It seems that the Polish government has not forgotten that in 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Poland between them. I think that Poland, which was left alone by its European allies at that time, aims to maximise its own self-defence capabilities, and that the ‘NATO and/or European Union’ countries have made their calculations according to the possibility of sacrificing Poland against a possible Russian attack. The Polish Government, which decided to act together with Germany on 2 July 2024 as a precautionary measure and to expand its armament policy together, seems quite pleased that the war in Ukraine has encouraged Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

I believe that Poland sees the entry of the Russian army into Ukrainian territory as an opportunity and wants to use it as a justification for its own armament. After all, the Poles, who prevented the Ottomans from seizing the keys to Europe in Vienna in 1683, want to block Putin's imperial designs today. Thus, there will be no obstacle for Poland, whose influence in NATO and the European Union will increase, to assume the leadership of the eastern wing of Europe, and a stronger Poland will ‘re-emerge’ on the stage of history after three centuries.

References

Paul Jones. ‘Poland Becomes a Defence Colossus’. CEPA. 28 September 2023. https://cepa.org/article/poland-becomes-a-defense-colossus/