New Air-Defence Support Centre Opens in Poland

A new maintenance and logistics centre has opened in Czosnów, Poland, to support the country’s PILICA+ air-defence programme through technical services, training and closer UK–Polish industrial cooperation.

The facility opened on 7 September 2026 in the presence of UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard and Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Zalewski. The UK Ministry of Defence said British and Polish personnel will work together at the centre.

Support closer to operational systems

The centre is intended to provide maintenance, logistics, technical support and training inside Poland. Locating these functions closer to the systems in service is expected to shorten maintenance chains and improve coordination of fault diagnosis, spare parts, training and operational readiness.

PILICA+ is being developed as a multi-layered short-range air-defence programme that connects radar, command-and-control and missile components. Integrating equipment from several parts of the network makes sustained technical support and trained personnel essential alongside the initial procurement.

Wider UK–Poland defence cooperation

The UK Ministry of Defence said more than 400 employees are involved in MBDA work supporting Polish programmes at sites in Bristol, Stevenage and Bolton. The two countries are also cooperating under the NAREW programme, valued at more than £4 billion and covering over 1,000 air-defence missiles and more than 100 launchers.

The Czosnów centre forms part of a broader security and defence partnership agreed by the United Kingdom and Poland in May 2026. The facility also creates a permanent setting for shared working practices and technical knowledge exchange between personnel from both countries.

Operational details still to be announced

The 7 September statement did not specify the centre’s full staffing level, long-term operating schedule or the sequence in which different systems will receive support. Those details will determine how the facility contributes to PILICA+ and Poland’s wider air-defence network over time.

Opening date: 7 September 2026

Full report in Turkish: Polonya’da Yeni Hava Savunma Bakım ve Lojistik Merkezi Açıldı

Source: UK Ministry of Defence