US troops in Poland [MAP]

The history of the U.S. military presence in Poland dates back to the 1990s and the first joint exercises. Polish-American military relations and cooperation moved to a higher level after 1999, when Poland joined the group of states co-founding the North Atlantic Alliance.

One of the first steps in this area came in 2011, when an agreement was signed not only on cooperation in missile defense, but also on the presence of United States forces on Polish territory. The first permanent group of U.S. soldiers appeared at the Łask base in 2012. The U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment operates at the 32nd Tactical Air Base, where it is primarily responsible for preparing training for Polish and American airmen. 

Other Bases with Americans

The base in Łask is, of course, not the only location in Poland where American soldiers are stationed. When listing the most important points in this overview, one certainly cannot overlook the U.S. Army V Corps forward headquarters in Poznań, as well as the first permanent U.S. Army garrison headquarters in Poland, established in the capital of Wielkopolska in 2023. These, however, are units formed relatively recently. 

Decisions to establish the presence of combat units in Poland have been implemented since 2017. Żagań is also a very important location, as it is generally where U.S. armored brigades rotating through Poland are commanded. Some elements of the brigade are located in garrisons near Żagań. Another key site is Drawsko Pomorskie, home to the Polish-American Combat Training Center. In 2020, Poland signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, with the United States, under which Poland covers the costs of preparing infrastructure for US forces. 

In this context, Powidz should not be forgotten. It is a logistics and aviation hub that includes, for example, a military storage site with M1A2SEPv3 Abrams tanks and other equipment of an armored brigade, as well as a rotational Army aviation brigade operating in Europe. There are also several other locations where capabilities to receive US forces are being expanded. The list of important American sites in Poland also certainly includes the Orzysz–Bemowo Piskie training area, where a US-led NATO battlegroup operates, and the missile-defense site at Redzikowo. The list of facilities in Poland where the US military is present is below:

Where are the US bases located in Poland?

At present, an annual average of around 10,000 American soldiers are stationed in Poland. Poland is the third European NATO country with the largest US troop presence. The largest number of US troops, around 38,000, is currently in Germany, while Italy ranks second, with around 12,000. In Poland’s case, only several hundred soldiers are permanently stationed here; the rest rotate in and out. In 2022, a decision was made to rotate not one but two armored brigades to Europe, but the rotation of one such unit has apparently been halted.   

In a recent interview with Defence24.pl, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces General Wiesław Kukuła referred to the development of infrastructure for a permanent US military presence in Poland as follows: ”These people, these American soldiers, come to Poland just as we deploy on missions. I think the serious time has come for us to start building the conditions and capabilities that would allow American troops to settle here permanently.”