During a press conference on February 25, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Poland needs to convert more civilian airports for military use.
Three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the concept of dual-use airports—serving both civilian and military functions—is gaining traction.
Last week, Maciej Lasek, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, confirmed ongoing discussions with the Ministry of National Defense regarding these adaptations.
"We Need More Dual-Use Airports"
Lasek pointed out that Poland has 15 civilian airports—twice as many as its military airfields. Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed the importance of expanding dual-use capabilities, citing examples such as Kraków’s Balice and Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, both of which already integrate civilian and military operations.
Planned upgrades include expansions at Rzeszów airport, preparatory work in Kraków, and the development of new cargo hubs with railway connections and fuel supplies in Katowice and Wrocław. Szczecin airport is also slated for dual-use enhancements, aimed at improving both passenger services and emergency response capabilities.
The Minister also highlighted a newly formed team focused on infrastructure projects, including the Red Road for the port of Gdynia and improvements at Gdańsk airport, with a strong emphasis on accelerating these investments.
A NATO Frontline Nation Gearing Up
Positioned on NATO’s eastern flank, Poland has been strengthening its defense capabilities since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for increased defense spending across NATO, urging European nations to match Poland’s level to reinforce U.S.-European relations. While NATO’s current defense spending target is 2% of GDP, discussions are ongoing to raise it to 3%.
Meanwhile, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, has warned that Russia perceives itself as an empire rather than a federation, with ambitions that could extend beyond Ukraine.
