Poland will spend over PLN 200 billion on defence in 2026, equivalent to 4.81 percent of projected GDP. While tanks and howitzers dominate public imagination, the real transformation is happening elsewhere – in electronics, sensors, communications, and the logistics that move them. The value of orders placed with Polish and Central European suppliers has quadrupled since 2022, reaching PLN 30.4 billion, and much of that money is flowing to companies that until recently had little to do with the defence industry.
According to data from Poland’s Armament Agency, analysed by Reuters, the value of procurement from suppliers in Poland and Central Europe has grown almost fourfold since 2022, reaching PLN 30.4 billion. This surge reflects a fundamental shift in how the Polish military sources its equipment – and who benefits from defence spending.
Modern military hardware is increasingly dependent on components and subsystems rather than just heavy platforms. Radar systems, communication networks, optoelectronics, sensors, power supplies, drones and precision parts are now essential elements of any advanced force. Each of these must be produced, stored, protected and transported – and that creates opportunities across a much wider range of industries than traditional arms manufacturing.
The defence supply chain no longer ends at the factory gate of a tank producer. Behind every final system stand electronics manufacturers, component suppliers, logistics companies, materials providers and firms specialising in cargo security. Today, a growing number of civilian-sector companies are examining which of their capabilities could be channelled into military supply chains – and finding that the gap is narrower than they expected.
Modern weapons are smaller, but their logistics are more demanding
Drones are a good example. A UAV can be many times cheaper than traditional weaponry, but it contains flight controls, sensors, cameras, electronics and power sources – all of which require careful handling. In logistics, the packaging is not just a box; it is a critical element of ensuring the equipment arrives in working order.
With ordinary cargo, a dropped carton might result in a dented corner. With optoelectronics, measuring instruments or precision components, a strong jolt may require recalibration or full inspection, even if no external damage is visible. Radar is a case in point – externally a massive structure, internally a delicate assembly of electronics.
That is why transport relies on devices such as shock and tilt indicators – small units attached to packaging that permanently record whether a shipment has been subjected to strong impact or transported in an incorrect position. The most interesting aspect is that damage is not always visible. Crates and cartons can arrive without external damage, while the precision electronics inside may have suffered severe shock.
– The most interesting aspect is that damage is not always visible. Crates and cartons can arrive without external damage, while the precision electronics inside may have suffered severe shock. That is why for high-value equipment, information about what happened to the shipment along the way is becoming just as important as protection itself. In combat conditions, there is no room for failures caused by faulty transport – hence tools have been developed to detect such risks early enough – explains Jarosław Kamiński, managing director of RAJAPACK Polska.
Similar principles apply to other threats. Sensitive electronics must be protected from electrostatic discharge, metal components from moisture and corrosion, and delicate devices from vibration and impact. To safeguard shipments against tampering, logistics chains increasingly use security tapes and seals that reveal any attempt to open a consignment.
The defence supply chain is opening up to civilian expertise
Many civilian companies recognise their role and growth potential in the defence sector – but that does not mean creating a separate shelf of „military products”. Many of the needs of the defence industry are close to those already present in electronics, aviation or precision manufacturing.
These include anti-static bags for sensitive electronics, corrosion and moisture protection materials, shock-absorbing systems, shock and tilt indicators, tamper-evident security seals, and products designed for specialist transport. The same laws of physics apply whether a component ends up in an industrial machine, an aircraft or a defence system.
– It is not about painting an existing product green, adding a Polish or NATO flag and calling it military. If electronics need ESD protection, the laws of physics are the same whether the component goes into an industrial machine, an aircraft or a defence system. The difference lies in the scale, the client’s requirements and the consequences of failure. In the defence sector, the margin for accidental damage is simply very small – and the stakes are very high – says Kamiński.
The defence market creates opportunities not only for direct manufacturers but also for a broad ecosystem of suppliers. Some will produce complex components. Others will deliver far less spectacular solutions – but without them, a finished system would never reach its destination safely. As the packaging market shows, even the most advanced radar, sensor or drone eventually becomes cargo that must be transported from point A to point B.
