Poland plans to create the largest army in Europe within two years.
Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński told a group of arms manufacturers that, thanks to the purchase of weapons, Poland would have the strongest ground forces in Europe in two years.
The Polish government is confident that increasing military spending to 3% of GDP, as well as expanding the army to 300,000 people, will make the country so strong that no one will think of challenging it.
Addressing in a letter to participants of the International Defense Industry Exhibition, which is being held in Poland this week, the Deputy Prime Minister, speaking about the future strongest army in Europe, noted:
The strength of the army is not just, and not primarily, its size but also its equipment, modernity, and innovation.
Last year, Poland announced an increase in military spending. Next year it is planned to boost the expenditure by at least three percent of GDP. Some government officials have expressed hopes for a subsequent increase up to 5% of GDP.
Additional funds will be spent on a massive weapons purchase, including Apache helicopters, Abrams Tanks and HIMARS. In addition, the army intends to increase the number of ground troops to 300,000 soldiers.
The government believes that a large-scale military buildup can prevent war.
We want peace, and if we want that we must prepare for war – in connection with that, we are strengthening the Polish Army.
However, some experts say that the increase in military purchases will greatly affect the Polish economy. Polish military expert Robert Czulda, a Resident Fellow at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, claimed that such a large scale of planned orders was caused by a political populism aimed at gaining popularity here and now. He also added that the chosen strategy did not look like a well-thought-out plan for the harmonious and gradual strengthening of the country’s armed forces.
Poland should ensure that these procurement programs are sustainable and affordable in the long term. The country should avoid a risk of overspending, which now seems very high.
