How To Transition Away From Being An Importer Of Weapons And Become An Exporter Of Security? Prospects For The Development Of The Polish Defence Industry
How To Transition Away From Being An Importer Of Weapons And Become An Exporter Of Security? Prospects For The Development Of The Polish Defence Industry
Poland is entering another year of increased tensions in its international environment. Therefore, the Sobieski Institute and the Eastern Flank Institute have decided to publish a second report addressing the issue of Poland’s security.
The authors of the report entitled “How To Transition Away From Being An Importer Of Weapons And Become An Exporter Of Security? Prospects For The Development Of The Polish Defence Industry” are:
Leszek Skiba
Michał Dworczyk
Bartłomiej Michałowski
Aleksandra Lisicka-Firlej
Krzysztof Michalski
Jakub Palowski
dr Piotr Woyke
Rising defense spending and growing interest in the debate on national security are becoming an integral part of our everyday life. No one questions the sense of these expenditures, but questions are increasingly being asked:
🔹Is taxpayers’ money being spent optimally? 🔹Do multi-billion dollar purchases also strengthen Polish entrepreneurs? 🔹How many jobs are created in the defense industry? 🔹Can the arms industry become an engine of economic growth?
Building a strong defense industry serves many purposes at once. First and foremost, it is about security -as evidenced by the war in Ukraine, which shows how important it is to have your own production capacity. It is also about economic development—through innovation, job creation, and arms exports. Poland’s defense industry should reflect our national aspirations and role on NATO’s eastern flank. The long-term goal is to create a strong domestic industrial and technological base that will meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, generate Polish innovation, and compete effectively on global markets. In 2025, a record 4.7% of GDP was allocated to defense.
Poland’s defense industry should reflect our national aspirations and role on NATO’s eastern flank. The long-term goal is to create a strong domestic industrial and technological base that will meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, generate Polish innovation, and compete effectively on global markets.
In 2025, a record 4.7% of GDP was allocated to defense. The Polish defense sector is booming – investments are growing, employment is increasing, and exports are reaching new records. Our ambition is for the Polish defense industry to join the world’s leaders. It is not just a matter of aspiration – it is a prerequisite for the security of our Homeland.
Advocate specializing in state aid law and investment policy in the defense industry sector.
Holds a Magister Juris (LL.M.) degree from the University of Oxford and a Law degree from the University of Warsaw. She also studied law at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and at the Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen.
Professionally associated with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, where she supports Polish and foreign investors and works on issues related to state aid. Co-author of articles for the Sobieski Institute, Klub Jagielloński, and Legal Industry Review.
An economist and government official. Served as Deputy Minister of Finance and Chief Spokesperson for Public Finance Discipline from 2015 to 2020. Subsequently, held the position of CEO at Pekao SA from 2020 to 2024. His areas of specialization include macroeconomics, public finance, and the banking sector. From 2009 to 2015, he worked at the National Bank of Poland (NBP) in the Office for Eurozone Integration, where he contributed to the development of the report “Economic Challenges of Poland’s Integration with the Eurozone (2014).” He has been affiliated with the Sobieski Institute since 2009.
He has been involved in the ICT market for over 20 years. He deals with ICT solutions for government administration, local government, the uniformed services, energy, education, healthcare and Industry 4.0. He has worked for Orange, CISCO, Hewlett-Packard, Statoil and the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Author of the report “The Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence in Poland” and “(Truly) digital Poland”. Sobieski Institute expert since 2006, Board member since May 2019.
Co-founder and president of the Normal State Association, author of two books about Poland and studies on Single-Member Electoral Districts.
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How To Transition Away From Being An Importer Of Weapons And Become An Exporter Of Security? Prospects For The Development Of The Polish Defence Industry
Poland is entering another year of increased tensions in its international environment. Therefore, the Sobieski Institute and the Eastern Flank Institute have decided to publish a second report addressing the issue of Poland’s security.
The authors of the report entitled “How To Transition Away From Being An Importer Of Weapons And Become An Exporter Of Security? Prospects For The Development Of The Polish Defence Industry” are:
Rising defense spending and growing interest in the debate on national security are becoming an integral part of our everyday life. No one questions the sense of these expenditures, but questions are increasingly being asked:
🔹Is taxpayers’ money being spent optimally?
🔹Do multi-billion dollar purchases also strengthen Polish entrepreneurs?
🔹How many jobs are created in the defense industry?
🔹Can the arms industry become an engine of economic growth?
Building a strong defense industry serves many purposes at once. First and foremost, it is about security -as evidenced by the war in Ukraine, which shows how important it is to have your own production capacity. It is also about economic development—through innovation, job creation, and arms exports. Poland’s defense industry should reflect our national aspirations and role on NATO’s eastern flank. The long-term goal is to create a strong domestic industrial and technological base that will meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, generate Polish innovation, and compete effectively on global markets. In 2025, a record 4.7% of GDP was allocated to defense.
Poland’s defense industry should reflect our national aspirations and role on NATO’s eastern flank. The long-term goal is to create a strong domestic industrial and technological base that will meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, generate Polish innovation, and compete effectively on global markets.
In 2025, a record 4.7% of GDP was allocated to defense. The Polish defense sector is booming – investments are growing, employment is increasing, and exports are reaching new records. Our ambition is for the Polish defense industry to join the world’s leaders. It is not just a matter of aspiration – it is a prerequisite for the security of our Homeland.
We encourage you to read the report!
Autor
Aleksandra Lisicka-Firlej
Advocate specializing in state aid law and investment policy in the defense industry sector.
Holds a Magister Juris (LL.M.) degree from the University of Oxford and a Law degree from the University of Warsaw. She also studied law at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and at the Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen.
Professionally associated with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, where she supports Polish and foreign investors and works on issues related to state aid. Co-author of articles for the Sobieski Institute, Klub Jagielloński, and Legal Industry Review.
Leszek Skiba
An economist and government official. Served as Deputy Minister of Finance and Chief Spokesperson for Public Finance Discipline from 2015 to 2020. Subsequently, held the position of CEO at Pekao SA from 2020 to 2024. His areas of specialization include macroeconomics, public finance, and the banking sector. From 2009 to 2015, he worked at the National Bank of Poland (NBP) in the Office for Eurozone Integration, where he contributed to the development of the report “Economic Challenges of Poland’s Integration with the Eurozone (2014).” He has been affiliated with the Sobieski Institute since 2009.
Bartłomiej Michałowski
He has been involved in the ICT market for over 20 years. He deals with ICT solutions for government administration, local government, the uniformed services, energy, education, healthcare and Industry 4.0. He has worked for Orange, CISCO, Hewlett-Packard, Statoil and the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Author of the report “The Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence in Poland” and “(Truly) digital Poland”. Sobieski Institute expert since 2006, Board member since May 2019.
Co-founder and president of the Normal State Association, author of two books about Poland and studies on Single-Member Electoral Districts.