US 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of 1st Cavalry Division deploying in Poland.

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, have landed their M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and M88A2 HERCULES Armored Recovery Vehicles US in Poland. The arrival of these tanks will help the 3ABCT produce combat-credible forces alongside NATO allies.
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M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams  (Picture source: US Army/Pfc. David Dumas, Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

Increasing the US military presence in Poland

Polish-American relations have a significant impact on the security system of NATO's eastern flank. Armored Brigade Combat Team deployed to Poland and supporting elements including the Combat Aviation Brigade and the anti-missile defense system being built in Redzikowo, are just a few examples of the durability of our transatlantic bonds.

The decisions of the NATO Summit in Warsaw are reinforced by bilateral efforts (mainly American), which are key to strengthening NATO's defense and deterrence potential. One of them is the American initiative to strengthen the region, the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), under which the ABCT was deployed to Poland and other countries of NATO's eastern flank. This 3.5-thousand-strong formation is supported by the Combat Aviation Brigade as well as logistic and support units under Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The 2019 presidential declarations on strengthening the presence of the US Armed Forces in Poland provide for a further enhancement of the US troops' presence in our country. The strengthening applies not only to combat units but also to reconnaissance and command systems or the ability to support additional forces in case of an emergency. Thus, they prove a close Polish-American alliance and partnership. Our defense relationship with the US has never been as strong as it is today.

On August 15, 2020, Mariusz Błaszczak, the Minister of National Defense and Michael Pompeo, the US Secretary of State signed an agreement to strengthen the presence of US troops in Poland. The agreement was signed in attendance of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

The Agreement on enhanced defense cooperation (Poland - United States Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) is the crowning achievement of Polish-American negotiations on increasing the number of US troops in Poland.

Command of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) in Żagań and Components of the Armored Brigade Combat Team in Skwierzyna, Świętoszów, Bolesławiec and Toruń.

The Armored Brigade Combat Team, or ABCT, is part of the American forces that came to Poland in 2017. Americans were deployed to Europe as part of the initiative to strengthen the region, the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) implemented through the Atlantic Resolve operation, and their presence is continuous and rotational. American troops, although located mainly in western Poland, train and exercise across Poland and operate throughout the region in other countries of NATO's eastern flank.

V Corps Headquarters (Forward), Poznań

The mission of the Vth Corps is to develop strategic understanding and to establish an enduring headquarters in Europe. As directed, V Corps’ responsibilities will include command and control of assigned units in support of U.S Army Europe and U.S. European Command.

The inauguration of the activities of the Forward Command of the 5th Corps of US Land Forces in Poland.

 Combat Aviation Brigade (Powidz)

The Combat Aviation Brigade, or CAB, arrived in Europe in the first half of 2017 to support Operation Atlantic Resolve and other training and missions. One of the CAB task forces is stationed in Poland.

As part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the US units of the Air Force Brigade rotating in Europe conduct medical transport exercises and provide support for large multinational exercises in Europe, conducted jointly with allied and partner countries.

Combat Support Battalion- (Powidz)

The Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB) is a logistic unit. The CSSB has been transferred to Poland and other countries of NATO's eastern flank to strengthen the logistical support of operations carried out as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The unit supports the operational troops in a wide range of services, including transport of ammunition, traffic control, repairs, maintenance, supplies, postal services, and securing activities of the military police.

U.S. Forward Division Command (Poznań)

The Forward Divisional Command in Poznań has been operating since October 2019. It coordinates the functioning of the US Armed Forces in our region as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. It fulfills one of the provisions of the declarations of the Presidents of the Republic of Poland and the USA from 2019 regarding the permanent presence of American forces in our country. It is worth emphasizing that this is the only such structure in our region. Moreover, its role is emphasized by the appointment of an American general as its commander. The role of this unit and its location in Poland are essential for achieving the full effect of enhanced deterrence and defense of Poland and other countries of NATO's eastern flank. It is crucial to ensure the speed and consistency of the defense operations that US forces deployed in our region are ready for.

The presence of the command in Poznań strengthens the ability of the US and Polish armed forces and other allies to cooperate in order to provide an efficient and quick response to all hostile actions against Poland and other allies in the region. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland closely cooperate with this American command in Poland. There is extensive cooperation within the command structures, including with the Multinational Division North East in Elbląg.

Aviation Component (Łask)

The pilots of this component conduct training, maintain combat readiness and strengthen operational capabilities with their Polish counterparts. Mainly the F-16 and C-130 planes participate in the training rotations.

Component of unmanned aerial vehicles MQ-9 (Mirosławiec)

The crews of the aviation component, equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, contribute to security and stability in the region. The presence of drones is a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve launched by the US in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Missile Defense Base (Redzikowo)

Cooperation in the field of ballistic missile defense (BMD) is one of the key elements of the Polish-American strategic partnership. As part of it, the American BMD installation will be set in the military complex in Redzikowo. The construction of the base began on May 13, 2016. It will ensure the defense of Poland and a large part of the European territory of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization against ballistic missile attacks.

The installation in Redzikowo will be part of the American BMD architecture in Europe, the so-called European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA). Apart from Poland, elements of the system are located in Turkey, Romania and Spain, where a base was established for US ships participating in this mission. EPAA is implemented in three stages. In 2016, the implementation of the 2nd phase of the project was completed on schedule. The construction of the system in Redzikowo begins the implementation of the III phase. EPAA is an American contribution to a broader allied effort, the so-called NATO BMD system. This system, constituting an important instrument of deterrence and defense, significantly strengthens allied solidarity and supports NATO's collective defense capabilities.

The deployment of the base in Redzikowo will bring tangible strategic and defense benefits to the Republic of Poland. Firstly, it will provide capabilities that are unique in NATO's scale to defend against medium and intermediate-range missiles, which, due to the high cost and time-consuming development is present in only a few countries. Secondly, it will constitute an important element of the American and Allied military presence in our country.

The legal basis for the deployment of the Base is the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the United States of America on the deployment in the territory of the Republic of Poland of anti-ballistic interceptor defense missiles, drawn up in Warsaw on August 20, 2008, and the Protocol amending the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the United States of America on deployment on the territory of the Republic of Poland of anti-ballistic defensive interceptor missiles, made in Krakow on July 3, 2010 (Polish Journal of Laws of 2011, No. 219, item 1298).

eFP Battle Group (Bemowo Piskie)

In July 2016, during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, important decisions were made for the security of Poland and the entire region. The most important of these is the real strengthening of the eastern flank of the Alliance. NATO has deployed one of the four enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battle groups near Orzysz. In Poland, the framework nation is the United States, and the Group is comprised of troops from Romania, the United Kingdom and Croatia.

M88A2 HERCULES of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division loaded on a flatbed railway car in Poland (Picture source: US Army/Pfc. David Dumas, Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)