Poland Details $49.8 Billion Military Modernization Plan 2026

The Polish Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, signed a Technical Modernization Plan until 2026 costing an approximate 185 billion Polish złotys (about US$48.9 billion) that include buying fifth generation fighter jets, UAVs, assault helicopters, Short-range rockets, submarines and cyber security.

We will equip the Polish Army with modern equipment. The technical modernization plan is a roadmap. This is the document that forms the foundation for the development of the Polish armed forces. All modern equipment will be directed to the new fourth division of the Polish Army, Błaszczak said last Friday.

In the document signed, the Harpia program is the most important program - the purchase of fifth generation aircraft. Poland plans to buy 32 multi-role aircraft of the fifth generation, the Polish Ministry of Defense stated.

In the modernization plan, among the priority tasks, the Narew program (acquisition of anti-aircraft short-range rocket sets for combating, among others, unmanned aerial vehicles), Kruk (purchase of assault helicopters) and Orka (purchase of submarines) was registered. 

Błaszczak  stated the country has prepared a bridging solution for submarines. One of the areas that will be modernized under the Plan is cyber security. 

“In the technical modernization plan, we also focus on the purchase of modern cryptographic and IT equipment for the defense forces of cyberspace. Expenditure on the defense forces of cyberspace will amount to PLN 3 billion (US $791 million),” said Minister Blaszczak.

Modernization Plan for 2026 Selected Tasks

• HARPIA Program.

Acquisition of a new generation multi-tasking aircraft to operate in an anti-access and network-centric environment and will cooperate with a component of allied air forces.

• NAREW Program
  Acquisition of short-range missile anti-aircraft batteries to combat, among others unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as for the destruction of missiles. We anticipate extensive use of the Polish arms industry and technology transfer among others the ability to produce rockets.
• KRUK Program
  Acquisition of modern impact helicopters for aviation of land forces.
• CYBER.MIL program
  As part of the CYBER.MIL operational program, we will acquire national tools and software that will enable us to carry out effective operations in cyberspace and the latest Polish cryptographic technologies. We will mainly use the capabilities of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Exatel, and we intend to allocate PLN 3 billion to the program itself.
• The WISŁA
  program The anti-aircraft and anti-missile program of medium-range missile systems of WISŁA will be one of the main elements forming the national air defense system. On March 28, 2018, Minister Mariusz Błaszczak signed a contract for the implementation of the first stage of the WISŁA program. Its basic task will be to fight pilot and unmanned aerial attack means as well as tactical short-range battle missiles and missile maneuvers.
• GRYF Program

Acquire unmanned aerial vehicles of medium-range tactical range.

• The WAŻKA program
  Acquiring unmanned micro class aircraft intended for use mainly in urbanized areas. Equipped with an optoelectronic head that allows observation day and night.
• FLAME Program

Plane acquisition of comprehensive air reconnaissance

• Program MIECZNIK
  Acquiring a coastal defense ship, which is to replace the withdrawn from the service of the unit and increase the ability to cooperate within allied and coalition task forces.
• ORKA Program
  Acquiring the ability to damage surface and submarine targets by the New Type Submarine. This ship will increase the ability to effectively use the armaments and impact potential of ships in the field of combating nautical, underwater and land targets, as well as destroying airborne anti-submarine forces.
• REGINA Program
  Acquisition of 155 mm firewall divisions. This will be equipment that enhances the fire support capability at the tactical level. The contractor is Huta Stalowa Wola. As part of the Technical Modernization Plan, it is planned to acquire further squadron modules. 
  Kompania's fire module 120 mm self-propelled mortars RAK 
  Acquisition of several fire modules for the modernization of Rocket and Artillery. Mortars are produced by the Consortium of HSW SA and ROSOMAK SA
• HOMAR program
  Acquiring a squad module of multi- lead rocket launchers, capable of striking targets distant by 70-300 km.
• Program PUSTELNIK
  Obtaining anti-tank missiles with missiles directed with missiles. The Polish Armed Forces will be equipped with new lightweight, anti-tank guided missile kits, which do not require complicated training.
• BORSUK program

An introduction of a new combat vehicle based on a universal modular tracked chassis, developed and manufactured by the Polish defense industry, for the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces. It will replace, among others a well-worn war vehicle of the Soviet construction BWP-1, will have at the same time the ability to swim.

• MUSTANG program
  Acquiring high-mobility trucks and passenger cars