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In its first years in NATO, Poland took part in multiple training exercises with the allies. In 1999, the Multinational Corps Northeast Command was formed and played an important role in strengthening multi-country cooperation, especially with its closest allies, neighboring countries.

The Polish Army also joined international missions, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. In these missions, the Army was able to refine its procedures and equipment. In 2015, Poland was the first NATO country from the Eastern flank to take the role of a Framework State, in the format of Special Forces.

Over its two decades of membership, Poland became strongly integrated with the Alliance both politically and militarily. NATO became Poland’s guarantor of security and contributed to a large-scale transformation of its army through introduction of NATO standards and procedures. Thanks to shared know-how and participation in international exercises, Polish soldiers learned to interact directly with their allies.

Today, the Polish Army is a pillar of NATO on the Eastern flank and cooperates with US and NATO forces in the region on daily basis, while also participating in missions in Kosovo, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.

Despite many programs, technical modernization of the Polish army has not been completed. Most units – even those assigned to NATO operations – continue to operate outdated post-Soviet equipment, not suitable for upgrade. This presents Poland’s biggest challenge in NATO.

This report examines the Defense and Security market in Poland, providing overviews of the Polish Armed Forces, Homeland Security, market opportunities, and the public procurement system.