Russian aggression rises – and so does Poland's defence budget as it boosts forces
Poland has the largest military in the EU and the biggest defence budget in Nato as a percentage of its GDP.
Now, the country is investing more of that budget on new equipment than any other Nato country.
Also this week the first Polish F-35 pilots graduated from training in America.
Poland announced recently that it is planning to introduce military training for every adult male, as prime minister Donald Tusk said the country may well need an army of 500,000 troops.
Now, a slick TV commercial is urging people to join the Polish military.
The reason for the recruitment drive is Russian President Vladimir Putin and concerns over his ambitions for a greater Russia.
Poland is around 700 miles from the frontline in Ukraine, and after the experiences of the Second World War plus half a century of Soviet rule, it is taking no chances.
The country also has a 330-mile border with Ukraine and a 250-mile border with Russia's ally Belarus, where Moscow has deployed tactical nuclear weapons.
So what is Poland doing to protect itself from Russian aggression?
First of all, it has a plan to modernise its military and increase its defence industrial base.
Warsaw is also spending a lot more money, a higher proportion of GDP on defence than any other Nato member.
When Russia marched into Ukraine, Poland's armed forces were the ninth largest in the alliance.
Now, three years on, they are third behind Turkey and the US, with just over 200,000 active personnel, including a 90,000-strong regular army.
A decade ago, Poland spent 1.9% of GDP on defence, around $10bn.
By 2024, that figure had risen to 4.2% to $28bn, with plans to increase it to 4.7% this year.
By comparison, Russia spends around 7% of GDP on its military and the UK 2.3%.
Poland spending some extra money on personnel.
Warsaw wants a land force of 300,000 in the next five years – a mix of regular, territorial and paramilitary units that will be bigger than the French and German armies combined.
It has also been shopping, buying large amounts of new kit to replace the equipment that it had donated to Ukraine and to increase Poland's lethality.
The focus has been on buying heavy weapons.
Poland has nearly 700 main battle tanks, among them South Korean K2 Black Panthers, German Leopards of various types and American Abrams, as well as several hundred PT-91 Twardys – a Polish variant of the T-72.
And that's just for now. More is coming.
In total, Poland has ordered 1,300 tanks, including more than 800 Black Panthers and 250 of the latest M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams. And it has even opened an Abrams Tank Academy in Poznan.
Artillery is another area Poland is investing in.
It already has 800 artillery pieces, but it is buying more.
After donating 18 Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, Poland's now buying another 182 of them, bringing the total in the Polish army to just over 200.
Warsaw has also ordered 200 South Korean K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers, and its land forces are getting 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in a deal worth $10bn.
Poland is also investing in its small and ageing navy, tripling its tonnage to play a more important role in policing the Baltic Sea.
Warsaw is buying three new frigates, based on the design of the Royal Navy's new Type 31, with the option to buy five more.
With 128 missiles, they will actually be better armed than their British equivalents.
Finally, there is Poland's air force, which is also getting a big injection of money.
It currently has 85 combat aircraft, including 14 MiG-29s, 48 F-16 Fighting Falcons and 12 South Korean FA-50 light attack or trainer jets.
In 2020, Poland signed a $4.6bn deal to buy 32 conventional take-off and landing F-35As between now and 2030.
The first two of these were delivered in December and the initial group of Polish F-35 pilots completed their training in the US this week.
For Poland, which, like many countries, reduced defence spending after the Cold War, the invasion of Ukraine has been a pivotal moment.
There are discussions with France about stationing nuclear weapons on Polish territory.
Poland wants to be the strongest military power in central Europe, and it is spending billions to realise that ambition, transforming itself into a regional watch keeper and a military powerhouse.
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