Poland is abandoning its long-standing defensive military doctrine and preparing to strike enemy targets deep behind their lines. The new approach, outlined in the Armed Forces Development Programme until 2039, shifts the focus from holding ground to pre-emptive strikes using long-range missiles.
For decades, Polish war games followed a predictable pattern: dig trenches, hold the line, wait for the enemy to weaken, then counterattack. That logic is now obsolete. General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, stated during a presentation of the new programme that purely defensive capabilities are no longer sufficient. The key to deterrence is the ability to destroy the enemy’s centres of gravity – command posts, radar sites, missile launchers and logistics hubs – before they can be used against Poland.
A paradigm shift in military doctrine
The new programme officially embraces the concept of a pre-emptive strike, a term that was long considered politically controversial within NATO. Critics feared it could be seen as provocation by Russia. However, the war in Ukraine changed the debate. – Modern warfare does not begin with tanks at the border. It begins with ballistic missiles, long-range drones, electronic warfare and cyberattacks aimed at destroying air defence systems and military infrastructure – explained General Stanisław Koziej, former head of the National Security Bureau. – The ability to launch a pre-emptive strike is a condition for effective defence. We must be able to hit enemy concentrations before they enter combat contact – he added.
Poland currently lacks sufficient long-range strike assets, especially missiles with ranges above 1000 km. The only such weapon in service is the air-launched JASSM-ER cruise missile, with a range of around 1000 km. Poland ordered over 820 of these missiles for its F-16 and F-35 fleets, but deliveries have been delayed due to US production bottlenecks.
New weapons, new capabilities
To fill the gap, Poland is rapidly expanding its domestic production. A landmark agreement signed on 6 July 2026 between Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) and the American company Anduril will see the production of Barracuda-500M cruise missiles at a plant in Bydgoszcz. These missiles have a range of approximately 930 km and will be manufactured in quantities of several thousand. – This is a game-changer in a crisis situation – commented General Kukuła. In addition, Poland has secured a contract with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace to build a factory in Gorzów Wielkopolski for CGR-080 rockets, with a range of 80 km. The deal covers 10,000 rockets, giving Poland significant independence in ammunition supply for its Homar-K launchers.
Despite these advances, a gap remains for systems with ranges exceeding 1000 km. Poland has considered purchasing Tomahawk cruise missiles (range 1600 km) from the US, following Germany’s recent acquisition. President Donald Trump announced at the NATO summit in Ankara that licensing restrictions for allies would be loosened. Another potential partner is Ukraine, which has developed its own ballistic missiles with ranges over 2000 km. – Ukraine has proven it possesses technology that no other European country has – noted General Kukuła. Cooperation with Kyiv could create a truly independent long-range strike capability for Central Europe.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. MON/plut. Piotr Szafarski
