Poland demonstrated its military might with the largest parade in the country's history, held on August 15th to mark Polish Army Day. Hundreds of combat vehicles and the latest weapons systems of the Polish Armed Forces were presented in Warsaw, and dozens of military aircraft and helicopters flew over the capital.
This year's celebrations are held under the motto **„Polska SAFE – Bezpieczna Polska“ („Secure Poland“) ** and coincide with the 106th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, when the Polish army stopped the advance of the Red Army.
Over 300 combat vehicles on the streets of Warsaw
The main parade began at noon on the Wisłostrada waterfront in Warsaw.
It was attended by about 1,800 servicemen from the ground forces, air force, navy, special forces and territorial defense. More than 300 units of ground equipment and about 60 aircraft and helicopters were presented.
Among the most impressive equipment were the American M1 Abrams tanks, the South Korean K2 Black Panther, the German Leopard 2, the Polish Borsuk combat vehicles and the Rosomak armored personnel carriers.
The audience also saw Krab self-propelled howitzers, HIMARS missile systems, as well as Patriot, Poprad and Pilica+ air defense systems.
F-35 for the first time in the parade
A special highlight was the participation of the new F-35A Lightning II “Husarz“ fighters, which are among the most important acquisitions in the Polish Air Force modernization program.
F-16s, military transport aircraft and various types of helicopters also flew over Warsaw.
The parade started unusually – with the landing of nine paratroopers carrying the flags of Poland, NATO and the various branches of the armed forces.
Naval parade near Gdynia
Unlike previous years, the demonstration was not limited to Warsaw.
A large naval parade with more than 20 ships was also held in the Baltic Sea near Gdynia, which allowed Poland to simultaneously demonstrate the capabilities of its land, air and sea forces.
The events were also attended by military personnel from allied countries, including the United States and other NATO members.
„We must be ready for war“
Against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, the Polish authorities are increasingly speaking openly about the need for the country to be prepared for a possible armed conflict.
The military leadership emphasizes that a strong army must, above all, act as a means to deter – so that a potential adversary would be convinced that an attack on Poland would be too costly.
This logic is also behind the country's accelerated rearmament in recent years.
One of the fastest rearming armies in NATO
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland began a large-scale program to modernize its armed forces.
Warsaw purchased American Abrams tanks, South Korean K2 and K9 howitzers, HIMARS and Patriot systems, F-35 fighters and new helicopters, while simultaneously expanding its own production of armored vehicles, artillery and ammunition.
Official plans foresee that Poland will continue to allocate one of the highest shares of GDP to defense among NATO countries.
Russia remains the main threat
Polish authorities view Russia as the main a long-term threat to national security.
Warsaw also plays a particularly important role as a logistics hub for Western military aid to Ukraine. This position, according to Polish authorities, makes it a target for cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation operations.
Therefore, the demonstration of military power on August 15 had not only ceremonial significance, but also a clear strategic message - Poland wants to show that it has an army capable of defending NATO's eastern flank.
The parade was both a demonstration of the new weapons acquired in recent years and a political signal that Warsaw intends to continue its accelerated rearmament, regardless of its high cost.