2025-05-06 19:16, act. 2025-05-06 20:08
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2025-05-06 19:16
update
2025-05-06 20:08
We must leave the current command system in the Polish Army; We need a command that will keep the armed forces readiness – said the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army General Wiesław Kukuła. The question is not whether to change the system, but when – in my opinion it is high – he was followed by the head of the BBN General Gen. Dariusz Łukowski.
On Tuesday, during the Defense24 Days conference, the most important commanders of the Polish Army and the head of the BBN debated the necessary changes that the army must undergo in the coming years to best adapt to responding to danger.
Among the most important priorities, the generals indicated a change in the command system. As General Kukuła said, the current system is based on the so -called “Force Provider” and “Force User”, which was designed for armed forces, whose main task is, for example, participation in foreign missions of fighting terrorism.
Such a system has been functioning in the Polish Army since 2014 – the “Force Provider” function is performed by the General Command of the RSZ, responsible for such issues as equipment or training of units, and the function of “Force User” performs the operational command responsible for commanding soldiers on missions, patrolling Polish airspace or missions on the Baltic.
This system, according to General Kukuła, is “completely inadequate” to the needs of the modern world.
He was agreed with him General Łukowski, who assessed that the system did not work – not by, for example, incompetent commanders, but by the weakness of the structure, often overwhelmed by the enormity of tasks, as well as, for example, generating the absurd situations in which the Navy inspector in the general command has nothing to do with real command of the navy. “You have to go back to the old rule +training, command, answer +” – said General Łukowski.
The Chief of General Staff assured that the staff “is able to present recommendations to the political level” regarding the new command structure. As he said, it is primarily about creating a command of connected operations that would be responsible for maintaining the readiness of all types of army and ripping their actions, and in the situation of war – ongoing command.
The second pillar of the new command system is to be a transformation command, whose task, for example, will be training individual soldiers, as well as ongoing implementation of all kinds of innovations in the army. During the war, this command would correspond, among others for training reservists and supplementing losses.
“It is also a system that will not require a transformation between the time of peace and war. We will not have to – as we would have to do today – transform our commands, which requires time and involves many complications,” he said. General Łukowski agreed with him, who emphasized that the duties and tasks of officers in the army should be as close as possible during peace and war.
“We will recommend the implementation of such changes, because today we are preparing for war. (…) We must be ready – constitutional duties rest on us, and we will do everything to fulfill them,” said the Chief of General Staff.
General Łukowski, in turn, reminded that the solutions changing the command structure and the appointing command of combined operations – based on today's operational command – found themselves in the draft law prepared by the administration of President Andrzej Duda, which is currently the Sejm. The head of the BBN also assured that the proposals contained in the project were designed by experts, not politicians.
“Today, there is really no doubt that the system needs to be changed. The question only concerns when to do it, at what moment. (…) I always say that there is the highest time to do it (…) none of the military has any doubts about it,” he said.
The government adopted a draft amendment to the Act on the defense of the homeland
The Council of Ministers adopted a draft amendment to the Act on the Defense of the Fatherland on Tuesday – the prime minister said. The changes concern, among others improvements of recruitment, increasing benefits for soldiers studying abroad and raising compensation in the event of the death of a soldier.
The draft amendment to the Act on the defense of the homeland, i.e. a basic act regulating the issues of defense and functioning of the Polish Armed Forces, was prepared by the Ministry of National Defense.
In Tuesday's announcement, the Prime Minister indicated that the project adopted by the government on Tuesday provides for numerical and qualitative strengthening of the armed forces staff, including by improving the recruitment process and the course of military service. As we read, “recruitment proceedings towards a person who applies for appointment to military service will last +without undue delay +”.
As indicated in the justification and assessment of the effects of the regulation of the amendment, its primary goal is to improve the recruitment process to the army: “Norming activities in the field of numerical and qualitative staff of the Polish Armed Forces”. ” “In addition, the project includes a number of regulations that result in improving the managing processes of personal resources of the Armed Forces, in the scope of personnel, financial and disciplinary activities” – assess the authors of the project.
The draft novella assumes – as reported by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister – incl. Changes in the regulations regarding the sending of soldiers to science outside the state. As reported, according to the project, if learning lasts longer than 6 months, a professional soldier will be able to take his family with him; A special benefit for such soldiers will also be introduced. In addition, a motivational benefit for professional soldiers is to be introduced during education at a military university, non -commissioned school, training center or at a training center and for reliable soldiers.
The project also provides for increasing the amount of damages in the event of the death of a soldier, as a result of an accident during military service.
In addition, the draft amendment provides financial support for pro -defense organizations, which will be able to grant targeted subsidies.
The changes also apply to the functioning of the Armed Forces Support Fund, i.e. the financial instrument, of which many large arms contracts concluded by Poland are financed. Funds from the Fund that will not be used as part of one year as part of the implementation of multi -year contracts will be treated as “non -exposing expenses”. In addition, there are plans to introduce a solution under which the transfer of budget funds to the fund from the Ministry of National Defense during the year will not require a change in the fund's financial plan – and thus, it will not require the opinion of the parliamentary defense committee or the Ministry of Finance.
The planned regulations also include regulations related to the determination of tasks for the operational commander of the types of armed forces – corresponding to, among others for the security of Polish airspace or Polish military contingents abroad – in the field of crisis management at NATO and the European Union.
The Act on the defense of the homeland was adopted in April 2022 and replaced many previously applicable acts regarding the functioning of the Polish Armed Forces and the entire state defense system; Currently, it is a basic legal act regulating this area. The act has already been amended several times. (PAP)
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