Poland, Europe's arms factory: huge increase in military exports after 2022

In just a few years, Poland has become a central player in the global arms industry, becoming the largest exporter of military equipment in Central and Eastern Europe. The war in Ukraine, which has been going on for almost four years, has radically changed not only the geopolitical balance of the region, but also the Polish economy, offering it a huge financial opportunity. According to the economic publication Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (DGP), in 2024 Poland's arms exports reached a record value of 3.2 billion euros, which is a spectacular jump compared to the 400 million euros recorded in 2020, two years before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The increase began immediately after February 2022, when Russia attacked its neighboring country, and in just one year the value of Polish arms exports reached 1.2 billion euros, subsequently climbing at an accelerated pace to last year's record.

Most of the Polish arms went to Ukraine, which purchased military equipment worth almost 2.5 billion euros in 2024, not including free deliveries made as part of the 46 military aid packages offered by Warsaw to the Kiev authorities. According to the cited source, the list of military equipment exported to Ukraine by Polish defense industry companies is impressive: 78 M74 mortars, 18 Krab self-propelled howitzers, almost 300 armored vehicles of various types, as well as FlyEye reconnaissance drones and Warmate kamikaze drones, both produced by the Polish company WB Group, which enjoyed remarkable international success.

Although Ukraine remains the main customer of the Polish defense industry, Poland has also managed to penetrate other major markets. The United States came in second place in the list of importers, with purchases worth 190 million euros, followed by the Philippines and Spain, with 185 million and 33 million euros respectively. The United States and the Philippines received 13 Black Hawk helicopters, manufactured at the Lockheed Martin plant in Poland, while 160 Piorun portable anti-aircraft launchers were sold to Estonia, Moldova, Norway and Latvia, reinforcing Poland's reputation as a reliable supplier to NATO allies and states on Europe's eastern border.

This war-fueled economic boom is not without controversy. As Warsaw consolidates its position as a regional leader in arms production, more and more voices are noting the direct link between economic interests and its active involvement in supporting Ukraine. While some believe that Poland is acting out of solidarity and a desire to defend the European democratic order, others emphasize the pragmatic dimension of this positioning: Polish industry earns colossal sums from supplying weapons, ammunition and equipment to the front in Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk justified the intensification of armament efforts and the consolidation of Poland's defense industry by the need for the country to be prepared for a possible conflict with the Russian Federation, but also for economic development in a global market where demand for weapons has exploded.

Thus, Poland has become an emerging colossus of the European military industry, which has transformed its strategic geographical position and industrial capabilities into a huge source of profit. In an international context dominated by uncertainty and tension, its rapid rise illustrates how war, beyond the human tragedy it causes, can become for some an implacable economic engine. Poland, which used to buy weapons, has today become the main supplier to a continent once again in the shadow of conflict.