WARSAW The tanks start up and a huge cloud of sand blows up.
We are in the Wesoła tank brigade on the outskirts of Warsaw, where dozens of Abrams and Leopard tanks are lined up.
In total, there are almost two hundred tanks here, but soon the Leopards will have to give way to the latest Abrams M1A2 tanks from the road. Coming from Poland first An ally of the United States in Europe that gets the wagons to use.
At the armored base, you can feel the enthusiasm for Poland’s growing position.
– We established an additional tank battalion, a pioneer battalion, an anti-aircraft unit, a tracked artillery unit and many other units here, spokesman for the Warsaw 1st Panzer Brigade, captain Jacek Piotrowski lists proudly.
Piotrowski says that Poland is an example for all NATO countries on how to act efficiently and quickly. In addition, according to Piotrowski, the understanding of Russia runs in Poles’ genes.
– We want to show that we are not ready to give up a single square centimeter of our land, says Piotrowski.
In a short time, Poland has become one of the most significant military powers in Europe.
Shockingly large arms acquisitions worth billions of euros have been reported in Poland at a rapid pace. This year, as the only NATO country, Poland spends more than four percent of its gross domestic product on defense spending and signs more than 150 agreement for various weapons systems acquisitions for more than 23 billion euros.
This is how Poland’s military strength has grown:
For comparison: Finland’s recent F-35 fighter jet purchase cost around eight billion euros.
Poland has met NATO’s defense spending target of two percent for a long time, but the figure has doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
A military expert working at the Polish institution Polityka Insight summarizes the spirit of change.
– Poland makes defense procurements on an unprecedented scale in Europe, NATO and maybe even in the whole world, Marek Świerczyński says.
Poland has announced that since the end of 2021, it has spent an unimaginable hundred billion dollars on arms purchases, says Świerczyński.
Can Poland afford this?
Even last year represented the opposition Radoslaw Sikorski doubted the ability of the Polish economy to make such massive purchases.
– I don’t think it’s self-evident that Poland will be able to pay for all this, Sikorski said.
Now Sikorski is the country’s foreign minister, and doubts about the bills have turned into increasingly ambitious declarations.
– Next year we will spend five percent of the gross national product on defense, Sikorski said in July.
In February, Sikorski said, that Poland is ready to use even eight percent for defense if necessary. Sikorski underlined his message by saying that “Poland will no longer become a Russian colony”.
Poland has announced at least two major defense projects this year: “east shield” and “cyber shield“. Their purpose is to fortify the eastern border and protect the country’s infrastructure from cyber attacks and combat disinformation. The total price of the plans is estimated at around three billion euros.
This is how large Poland’s arms acquisitions are:
Some of the purchases shown on the graph are purchase intentions.
Looking at the figures, the question comes to mind: can Poland afford all this?
Poland’s equipping has been made possible by the country’s strong economic growth as a member of the European Union. Even during the corona years, Poland’s economy advanced strongly, except for one year.
This year, economic growth is predicted to be approx three percent according to a report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk declared in May, that in five years the Poles will be wealthier than the British.
The statement reflects well the strengthening of Poland’s position and self-esteem in Europe.
The procurement also has the broad support of the people.
– 90 percent of Poles have no problems with high defense spending and the burdens they cause, says Świerczyński.
A thousand tanks from Korea
The close alliance relationship with the United States is highlighted in procurement. Poland is often the first country outside the United States to receive American weapons systems.
However, the acquisitions have not been based on one card, instead the Polish army has ordered weapons from, for example, South Korea 14 with a billion. The package includes, among other things, a thousand modern K2 tanks.
However, the direct devouring of various weapon systems from different angles also arouses criticism.
– Different types of helicopters are becoming a veritable zoo, says Świerczyński.
According to Świerczyński, the acquisitions arouse opinions for and against in the army. Some say it’s good to have different systems in case a supply chain breaks. Risks are also related to the maintenance chain.
If a conflict broke out in the Pacific Ocean, South Korea would be part of it in many scenarios, Świerczyński says.
– The supply chain from Korea is longer than from the United States, and clearly the most vulnerable.
“We must prepare for a full-scale war”
– It is necessary because we have suddenly realized that we are on the front line of both Russia and Belarus, says Świerczyński.
Poland’s intentions do not seem to remain at the level of mere talk. A couple of weeks ago, NATO published fresh figures on the forces of its member countries. Poland is up the alliance’s third largest army with a strength of 216,000 soldiers, surpassing France and Germany.
Poland has set a goal of 300,000 soldiers strong the army.
Poland’s arming has irritated Russia. For example, the former president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev has called Poland a “dangerous enemy”, and saidthat the country should not exist.
Medvedev too saidthat Poland’s military equipment and the presence of Polish soldiers in Ukraine may cause a direct conflict between Russia, Belarus and Poland.
Talks about the possibility of war have also intensified in Poland.
– We must prepare for a full-scale conflict, General Wieslaw Kukula said in July.
According to military expert Marek Świerczyński, a change in mentality is underway in Poland.
– We no longer rule out the possibility that we would have to go to war with Russia. Either on our soil or on their soil, for example in Kaliningrad, says Świerczyński.
You can also sense the change in mood in the Weselo armored brigade. According to Captain Piotrowski, the events in Ukraine have affected the training of soldiers. For example, soldiers often have to sleep for days in the forest in difficult conditions.
– They should be physically and mentally prepared for the worst, which, God forbid, they will not have to face, says Piotrowski.
Story updated at 11:51: Information added to the story that it is the “latest” Abrams M1A2 tank. In addition, it was mentioned that Poland will be the first European country to use the carriages.
Story updated at 12:48: Replaced the words “budget” with the word “gross national product”. Earlier, the article incorrectly stated that Poland spends four percent of its budget on defense.