East Front News #45: Piorun in Belgium, new Abrams in Poland

Defence24Days – a key forum for defence and security dialogue

On May 6-7, one of the most important international conferences in the field of defence and international security in Central and Eastern Europe took place. With over 65 expert panels, more than 350 incredible panelists, and 4300+ participants, the event at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw confirmed its position as a key forum for defence and security dialogue. We proudly hosted over 50 foreign delegations from across the globe — proving that international cooperation is not just necessary, but actively thriving. The conference enabled the presentation of the latest technological innovations in the field of military equipment and the presentation of vehicles in service with the Polish Armed Forces. 

In addition, the conference included panels in key areas for the security of Poland, Europe, and NATO, such as „Should NATO change its nuclear posture?”, „How to stop Russia?”, and „Security and resilience of critical infrastructure in the context of contemporary threats”. As part of these, we had the honor of hosting distinguished guests such as: Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence of Poland; Krzysztof Gawkowski – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Affairs of Poland; Gen. Wiesław Kukuła – Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces; Tomasz Siemoniak – Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Coordinator of Special Services; Ivan Anušić – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Croatia; Dovilė Šakalienė – Minister of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania; Lieutenant General Karel Řehka – Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces; General Gheorghiță Vlad – Chief of the Defence Staff of Romania; On. Matteo Perego di Cremnago – Undersecretary of State for Defence, Italy; Minister Tomáš Pojar – National Security Advisor of the Czech Republic; and Gildas Prêcheur – Chief of Staff of NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE), among many other political and military representatives. We welcomed more than 50 delegations from all over the world!

Western Forces in Ukraine

The U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, stated in an interview on Fox News that the United States would like to see the armed forces of European countries deployed in western Ukraine, west of the Dnipro River. Among the countries mentioned by the general were the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland. In Poland, the topic of sending soldiers to its eastern neighbour is quite controversial and lacks support from both the public and politicians. 

The Polish government responded to Kellogg’s statement. Paweł Wroński, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that Warsaw is the direct logistical base for any military operation taking place in Ukraine. He added that both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have declared that Polish soldiers will not set foot on Ukrainian soil. 

Poland’s Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, also commented on the American’s statement, asserting that there are no plans—and there will be no plans—to send armed forces. Meanwhile, Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk stated that there are currently no talks on the matter and that Warsaw’s position remains unchanged. 

At the same time, Poland is expected to provide access to the POLLOG HUB in Rzeszów and logistical support for any missions. In the context of potential plans to establish a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, the Republic of Poland will be a key logistical partner, offering supply chains, medical support, reconnaissance, and even command stations. Without Warsaw’s consent for such actions, no major operation in western Ukraine will be possible.

Polish "Piorun" MANPADS Headed to Belgium

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced, after talks with Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken, that Brussels will purchase between 200 and 300 of the Polish Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems (MANPADS) Piorun.

A letter of intent concerning Belgium’s purchase of Piorun launchers was signed on the sidelines of the two ministers talks held at Mesko in Skarżysko-Kamienna—the very factory that produces the Polish MANPADS. On that occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that the Piorun 2 should soon be ready for production, as all its individual components are complete and merely need integration. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said that Belgium requires man-portable air-defence systems and that Poland has excellent technology in this field. It is worth adding that the 3,000th system has been recently delivered.

Polish Helicopter Gunships Will Strike Deeper

The Polish Armed Forces are interested in further expanding the range of strike capabilities for their helicopters, including long-range weapons. Today, however, a major challenge is maintaining the current fleet, as it must conduct operational tasks alongside training processes.

European interest in IBCS and opportunities for the Polish industry

I absolutely do see increased interest around the world, but particularly here in Europe. There are many countries that we’re in discussions with, that are in various stages of interest or requests made of the U.S. government to acquire the IBCS system. But I’ll go back to a point that I made early on is that Poland is viewed as a leader, a global leader, particularly around Europe - as Kenneth Todorov, Vice President and General Manager for C2 and Weapons integration, Northrop Grumman Defense Systems told Defence24.pl in an interview.

Another Batch of Abrams Arrives in Poland

Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda announced that another shipment of M1A2SEPv3 Abrams tanks has reached Poland.

„Tankers can rest easy and start their weekend (…) Very soon these will enter service with the Polish military,” wrote the Deputy Minister of National Defence.

South Korean defence firms urged to invest more in Poland

South Korean companies have become one of the main suppliers of armaments to Poland and European countries following the Russian aggression in Ukraine. However, European countries are placing increasing emphasis on developing their own capabilities.

Furthermore, the new requirements of the European Union to finance armaments with common funds make the localisation of production and cooperation with industry inside the EU even more important in order to continue extensive operations. So if South Korean companies want to maintain and expand its position in the European market, they should invest in production capacity on the Old Continent.

Polish Loitering Munitions Used in Combat in Asia

Polish loitering munition manufactured by the WB Group—Warmate—has been employed in the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has been operating Polish UAVs since 2022.

So far, several online reports have shown the wreckage of multiple units of this Polish‐made loitering munition, which were procured for the Indian armed forces in 2022. The Indians began deploying various types of loitering munitions in their strikes against Pakistani military positions.

Pakistan’s forces have claimed to have shot down at least several Polish Warmate drones, doing so both through kinetic means and by using electronic warfare systems.

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East Front News is a weekly newsletter and article on Defence24.com summarizing the past week’s most important events concerning security and the situation in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It includes original opinions and comments, along with key news items significant from a Polish perspective.

Aleksander Olech, PhD & Jakub Palowski, Deputy Ed. in Chief, Michał Górski