Polish Armed Forces Lessons Learned from participation in NATO missions and operations

Participation in operations abroad is an important instrument of the State’s security policy as well as foreign policy, which can impact on the international security. In addition to the implementation of the political, national and strategic objectives, engagement of Polish Armed Forces (PAF) in operations also results in gathering new experiences, enabling the improvement of existing and acquisition of new operational capabilities. This is particularly true of emergency response capabilities and conducting combat operations with unequal military strengths, which include factors such as: training, quality of human resources, weapons and military equipment. In light of the potential challenges associated with the continued growth of operational capabilities in terms of changes in the security environment, an analysis of the conclusions and experiences has been conducted. They will probably have the greatest impact on the development of the PAF as well as the whole NATO.

The Polish Armed Forces occupy an important position in the state’s defence system, and their status is determined by the legislator itself. In connection with recognising cyberspace as an operational domain, the military dimension of cybersecurity has gained significance and it has become necessary to establish a military formation with competencies in this field. Responding to the need to counter cyber-attacks threatening the military security of Poland, the legislator established a specialised component in the Polish Armed Forces, referred to as the Cyberspace Defence Forces. The establishment of this military structure has triggered the need to build capabilities in the domain of cybersecurity so that the Cyberspace Defence Forces can effectively perform their tasks in countering cyber threats that adversely impact (or may impact) the state’s defence sphere.