Poland on the way to having one of the strongest armies in Europe
Polish army soldiers during the “Three Swords” military exercise on July 27, 2021 in the Lviv region of Ukraine.
© YURIY DYACHYSHYN / AFP
Text by: Martin Chabal
3 mins
Poland wants to have the largest army in Europe.
In any case, this is the wish of the current government, which wants to do everything to secure its borders, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine, because it is feared that Russia will then attack Poland.
The Polish army is already starting to recruit new soldiers.
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From our correspondent in Warsaw,
They are nearly 14,000 to have joined the ranks of the Polish army in 2022. A record since the end of compulsory military service in 2008.
The “ Become a soldier of Poland
” campaign
was launched two months after the start of the war.
The goal is to have a recruitment process: simpler, faster and more modern.
And it already seems to be paying off.
Today, Poland would have about 164,000 soldiers, which is considerable.
Because by way of comparison, France, much more populous than Poland, has just 200,000 soldiers.
And this campaign should continue to grow.
The objective is to reach 300,000 soldiers within the next 10 years.
In any case, the current national-conservative government is doing everything to make it happen.
He has also set up a new military service which lasts one year;
it is voluntary and remunerated.
However, many media are still expressing their concern.
They expect the resignation of many cadres of the Polish army, and it will take time to train the next ones.
Modernized equipment
At the same time, Poland has also embarked on the modernization of its equipment to have a “
large deterrent army
” as the Minister of Defense wishes.
For this, Poland has multiplied arms purchases internationally, especially with the Americans, who are the great allies and privileged partners.
Himar missile systems
, F-35 fighter jets, tanks, howitzers… There are all kinds.
And this new material is already arriving in Poland.
At the end of last week, Patriot air defense systems
could be seen
on the streets of Warsaw.
All this material also arrives to replace the old one which left for Ukraine.
An M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) missile system during an exercise in Lithuania, September 26, 2022 (Illustration image).
INTS KALNINS / REUTERS
Poland has established itself as one of the engines of military aid for its neighbour.
It has long
lobbied its European neighbours
, and especially Germany, to send Leopard 2 tanks across the border.
But she was able to afford it thanks to all these contracts signed with her allies to return her old equipment to kyiv.
A key element of NATO
The size of the Polish army allows the country to have more weight within NATO and the European Union.
Poland wants to be one of the driving forces.
Warsaw has always been favorable for hosting
military formations
, for becoming a platform for sending equipment to Ukraine or for
stationing American troops
on its soil.
Poland plays an important role within NATO.
Alliance in which it occupies the first place in terms of military expenditure in relation to GDP.
The 2023 budget allocates nearly 4% of Poland's GDP to its military.
It is even more than the United States.
It is truly symbolic of the importance taken by Poland since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
Whether in terms of numbers or influence within NATO and the European Union.
► To read also: To diversify its military equipment, Warsaw signs with South Korea
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