The Polish Government has sent the draft budget to the Parliament worth $32.89 billion, which is larger than the 2024 budget.
Poland-based Defence24 reports that most of this year's budget will be allocated for new equipment such as MBTs, combat aircraft, SPHs, MLRS, and warships. The proposed budget is five per cent larger than that of 2024.
The Polish Army is in the process of renewal with K2PL MBTs, K9 155 mm SPHs, and K239 MLRS acquired from the ROK. In addition, Poland will also acquire new IFVs with its locally developed turret.
The Air Forces' modernisation includes KAI FA-50/FA-50PL light combat aircraft and F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets to replace the ageing and out-of-sync Soviet-era fighters.
However, the acquisition process is not without its challenges. For instance, severe weapon integration issues with the FA-50PL batches of KAI's light combat aircraft might lead to Poland seeking the twin-engine fighter as an alternative solution. This highlights the complexities involved in modernising a military force.
The Polish Navy will be receiving a significant boost in firepower with the Miecznik-class frigates capable of medium-long-range air defence and AIP submarines.
As one could guess, all this new equipment will demand a large budget for acquisition and deployment. Aside from acquisitions, the instalment of defence lines against possible Russian aggression and growth in force size equally demand drastically larger budgets.
Poland Increases the Defence Budget for upcoming years
