State-of-the-art equipment will be showcased during the Polish Army Day parade on August 15 in Warsaw, announced the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak.
The celebration of the Armed Forces Day occurred on Tuesday at the headquarters in Warsaw. In addition to Błaszczak and General Kukuła, the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, General Piotr Błazeusz, and other senior commanders participated in the event.
During the ceremony, the head of the Ministry of National Defense expressed gratitude to the personnel of the General Staff and the entire ministry for their dedication and hard work.
Thank you for your commitment and for helping to shape the ongoing expansion of the Polish armed forces. The minister noted with pride that the army is growing in size while modernizing its equipment and capabilities.
– he stated.
This is a significant achievement for the General Command of the Armed Forces. The minister also praised General Wiesław Kukuła for assuming leadership.
On August 15 this year, a parade of the Polish army will take place in Warsaw. During the ceremony, spectators will have the opportunity to see Polish soldiers presenting cutting-edge equipment.
– the minister confirmed in Warsaw during the celebration of the General Command of the Armed Forces.
Purchases of weapons
Błaszczak recalled a series of weapons acquisitions made over recent years, including HIMARS and Chunmoo rocket artillery, F-35 and FA-50 aircraft, as well as Abrams tanks. The first batch of refurbished Abrams tanks previously used by the U.S. Marines is expected to arrive by ship at the Szczecin-Świnoujście port, and the initial deployment of the first phase of the Narew air defense system has been completed. He also noted that units of the 18th Mechanized Division, stationed east of the Vistula, will be equipped with American tanks.
He emphasized that strength stems from both force size and interoperability with allies.
Parades on August 15 have been held since 2007. In 2019, the parade moved to Katowice to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Silesian Uprising. In the following years, the event was curtailed due to the pandemic and later the conflict in Ukraine. The decision to restore the Warsaw parade was announced in March of this year by the Defense Minister.
“The best argument”
Mariusz Błaszczak stated that his primary goal as defense minister is to strengthen the Polish army. He argued that a strong, well-equipped, and well-organized force is the most effective deterrent against external threats.
It is essential to him that the Polish army remains robust, and his mission is to ensure that threats do not penetrate Polish territory.
— he remarked during the Day of the General Command of the Armed Forces celebration.
The minister pointed out that this strength is reflected in numbers. He noted that the Polish army currently numbers over 172,000 personnel and highlighted the rapid modernization of equipment, including the arrival of Abrams tanks by ship to Szczecin-Świnoujście tonight.
Błaszczak added.
The latest equipment
The minister listed recent government purchases that modernize the force. The latest equipment includes aircraft from South Korea, as well as Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles and domestically produced anti-aircraft systems.
The 20th Mechanized Brigade, part of the 16th Mechanized Division, is equipped with Korean K2 tanks, and the Korean FA-50 aircraft will soon join the Polish Air Force. He called it a remarkable achievement to secure these aircraft within a year. Next year, Poland expects to receive the F-35, one of the world’s most advanced fighters. Polish Borsuk IFVs are also scheduled for delivery later this year. Last week, the first tests of the Narew anti-aircraft and missile defense system were conducted. Compared with post-Soviet equipment, this marks a fundamental shift in capabilities.
— he emphasized.
Army organizational culture
General Wiesław Kukuła, the General Commander of the Armed Forces, spoke about the current state of the Polish army and the security environment, noting that it is markedly different from more than nine years ago when the General Command was established. He recalled that DGRSZ was created to unify the army, air force, and navy commands, which were reorganized at the end of 2013.
Today, he said, the country is undergoing its largest transformation in its history. Modernization programs are advancing and high-quality equipment is being acquired, while personnel capacity is expanding rapidly. The General Command is responsible for guiding and executing these changes.
– He stated.
The commanding general described ongoing changes aimed at aligning command structures with the transformation of the armed forces. These changes are intended to improve organizational agility and support for subordinate units. He also highlighted a focus on strengthening the culture across different branches and balancing their unique strengths with the ability to act in concert.
– he noted.
General Kukuła thanked his subordinates and acknowledged that their hard work has not gone unnoticed.
After the commander’s remarks, officers, soldiers from various units, and civilian personnel from the Ministry of Defense were assigned duties for their service.
Parades on August 15, marking the Day of the Polish Army, have been held since 2007. In 2019, the parade moved to Katowice for the 100th anniversary of the Silesian Uprisings. In subsequent years, the event was paused due to the pandemic and later the conflict in Ukraine. The Defense Minister announced in March that the parade would return to Warsaw this year.
[Citation: wPolityce]