Poland to deploy Patriot near Ukrainian border and create drone brigade

Poland will significantly strengthen its military presence in the Lublin Voivodeship, which borders Ukraine. A Polish Patriot air defense battery will be deployed in the region, new units will be formed, and a brigade of unmanned systems will be created in the longer term.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Poland Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a visit to the Lublin Voivodeship on October 5.

The head of the Ministry of Defense said that he had already decided to deploy one of the Polish Patriot batteries in the Lublin area. According to him, this will be the first appearance of Polish systems of this type directly in the Lublin Voivodeship.

Kosiniak-Kamysz linked the strengthening of the region to its location near Ukraine and the growing air threats. He noted that the Lublin and Podkarpackie Voivodeships face warnings due to Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory more often than other regions of Poland.

In particular, on the morning of October 5, the Polish Government Security Center again sent residents of the Lublin Voivodeship a warning due to a Russian air strike on Ukraine. Polish military aviation was scrambled, but later authorities reported that there was no direct threat to Polish territory.

At the same time, Warsaw plans to significantly expand its ground forces grouping in the border region. The command of the newly formed 18th Motorized Infantry Brigade, which will be part of the 18th Mechanized Division, will be deployed in the area of Opole Lubelskie and Poniatowa.

A new military unit will also be established in Biłgoraj. One of the battalions of the 18th Brigade, as well as air defense units, will be sent there.

A separate area of reinforcement relates to unmanned systems. In the town of Łuków, the Polish military intends to form a large unmanned systems unit, which could eventually be expanded to a full brigade.

According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, this concerns not only aerial drones. The Polish Army also plans to develop ground, sea, and underwater unmanned systems. Some of the new unmanned systems troops will be permanently based in the Lublin Voivodeship.

The implementation of the brigade project is planned over several years. Polish media report, citing the minister, that forming such a unit may take about two to three years.

Poland also plans to create a military helicopter base at Lublin Airport in Świdnik. Formalities regarding the use of the site should be completed by the end of 2026.

Świdnik is considered one of the future bases for American AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Poland has ordered 96 such aircraft, with first deliveries expected from 2028.

In addition, facilities of the Air Force Academy in Dęblin will be expanded. Military investments will continue near Kraśnik, where American Abrams tanks are to be stationed.

The Minister of Defense said he had asked the General Staff of the Polish Army to give high priority to projects in the Lublin and Podkarpackie Voivodeships when planning investments for 2027.

Based on materials from: Ministry of National Defense of Poland, Radio Lublin