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Poland is preparing for a significant upgrade of its eastern border defenses, focusing on an integrated counter-drone system. Over the next two years, fortifications along the border with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave (occupied Königsberg) are set to receive new air defense components, with preliminary estimates placing the total cost at over €2 billion, or approximately $2.35 billion. The plan combines electronic warfare tools with radar, artillery, and missile systems that can be rapidly deployed in periods of heightened threat.
In an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, Cezar Tomczyk, stated that the first elements of the new system could become operational within six months or even sooner, while full deployment is expected to take up to 24 months. As of December 23, 2025, some counter-drone measures have already been installed along the Belarusian border, although it has not been officially confirmed whether they are part of the same program.
As a country directly bordering Ukraine, Poland is on the front line of the contemporary NATO-Russia standoff. The country is actively modernizing its armed forces, gradually phasing out Soviet-era equipment from the Warsaw Pact period. Earlier this year, Su-22 aircraft were retired, and MiG-29 fighters are approaching the end of their service life. In 2026, Poland expects to receive its first F-35A Lightning II jets, designated Husarz in the Polish Air Force. At the same time, procurement of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and thousands of armored vehicles for the army is ongoing.
Poland experienced a tangible threat from drones in September, when violations of its airspace by Russian UAVs prompted an immediate NATO response. Polish F-16s were joined by Dutch F-35As deployed under the Baltic Air Policing mission, resulting in the destruction of several drones. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as a “major provocation.”
Although the incident occurred near the Ukrainian border, Warsaw considers the areas bordering Kaliningrad and Belarus – Russia’s key ally – to be the most vulnerable. These sectors are seen as the most likely routes for a potential direct attack, which is why their fortification has been gradually strengthened over the past decade and is now being significantly accelerated.
Traditional engineering obstacles such as trenches or concrete barriers remain effective against ground vehicles, but they offer little protection against the widespread use of inexpensive drones capable of reconnaissance or strike missions. When fitted with explosive payloads, such systems can breach defensive lines and create conditions for subsequent ground operations. The new system is intended specifically to counter this category of threat.
Cezar Tomczyk emphasized that some components would be used only in exceptional circumstances. “Certain elements are designed for deployment only under extreme conditions or in wartime. For example, these multi‑barrel machine guns are difficult to operate in peacetime, because anything that goes up must come down,” he noted. At the same time, electronic warfare and signal‑jamming capabilities are expected to become a more permanent part of border infrastructure, providing continuous monitoring and disruption capabilities.
Polish authorities do not consider a full-scale conventional war in Europe inevitable as long as Ukraine continues to contain aggression, but they caution about the risks of provocations and sabotage. Russia has repeatedly been accused of targeting critical infrastructure in various European countries, as well as deploying drones that have temporarily forced the closure of airports and airbases.
The project is planned to be financed through the SAFE program, launched by the European Union in early 2025. The program establishes a €150 billion fund to provide loans to member states for increasing defense spending, coordinating joint arms procurement, and protecting critical infrastructure. Access to the program is also extended to European Free Trade Association countries, Ukraine, and close EU partners including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada.
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Suorce: TheAviationist