MSPO 2024: Top Polish Officials, Calls for Boosting Defence Spending and Contracts

The president reiterated his proposal that NATO countries should commit to spending at least 3 per cent of GDP on defence, as in the Cold War era. »Raising the level of defence spending and making the armies of NATO countries really strong, which cannot be defeated, especially when they stand together to defend every bit of the alliance’s territory, will ensure that there will not be another world war,« - the president said. »There is a great deal of talk that we are in danger of a third world war. We will in fact cease to be threatened if this spending is carried out to the extent that it is adequate,« - he said. That is why, he added, Poland is among the countries allocating the highest defence spending.

’During this fair, we will sign further contracts for a total of around PLN 2 billion,« announced Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Ministry of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. »It is the completion of the Narew and Wisła systems, it is radiolocation systems for airport protection, investments with our foreign partners, for example from Spain or the United States, but it is also large contracts with Rosomak SA, Jelcz SA or WB Electronics,« Kosiniak-Kamysz enumerated. He stressed the need to cooperate with state and private companies.

The defence minister approved a contract with the US government for the delivery of 31 radio receivers to be installed in the Wisła and Narew Air Defence Systems. The devices are expected to arrive in Poland by 2027; the value of the contract is approximately $16.7 million net.

The agreement between the Armament Agency and Jelcz concerns engineering cranes for the army. Between 2025 and 2028, the army is to receive up to 90 cranes at a gross cost of approximately PLN 384 million. AU’s contract with Rosomak SA provides for development work and delivery by 2030. 340 units of the new contamination detection system for Rosomaks. The value of the contract is approximately PLN 316 million gross. On the second day of the fair, contracts for FlyEye drones from WB Group are to be signed.

Kosiniak-Kamysz and BBN chief Jacek Siewiera jointly presented a catalogue of defence industry equipment of Polish manufacture. »MSPO for the Polish defence industry will continue throughout the year. We are publishing a catalogue of Polish equipment. The catalogue presenting 60 companies will go all over the world. All diplomatic missions, attachés will be obliged to present the Polish arms industry - this is economic patriotism,« - said the head of the Ministry of Defence.

’You have achieved a great deal with perseverance, patience and consistency,« addressed the organisers of the MSPO to Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia (PL 2050-TD). »This is what is badly needed today in Polish defence policy, in our spending planning and in the strategies we create in relation to our defence. »We have a tendency as Poles to get riled up,« he said, pointing to the sporting emotions that accompany various sports. »We get inflamed very easily and then our fire goes to other places very easily. This is no way to build a sensible security policy, a sensible perspective for the Polish armed forces. I hope that this is now changing,« he added.

He called his presence as the first Speaker of the Sejm at the MSPO a sign of the times that the legislative and executive powers need to work together on defence matters.