UK and Poland agree the Warsaw Defence Plan on air defence, drones, frigates and Baltic Sea security

The United Kingdom and Poland have agreed a new defence plan that commits them to joint work on air-defence missiles, drones and counter-drone systems, cyber resilience, frigates and Baltic Sea operations. The British Ministry of Defence said the “Warsaw Defence Plan” was agreed on 27 October as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting met Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in Warsaw.

According to the ministry, the plan is the first phase of cooperation under the UK-Poland Security and Defence Partnership Treaty. London presents it as a way to deter Russian threats on NATO’s eastern flank and as a step by Britain to “step up” on European security within what it calls a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.

What the plan covers

The British announcement lists several areas of work. They include collaboration on the manufacture and development of a next generation of air-defence missiles, and co-development of drone and counter-drone technologies meant to protect civilians and critical infrastructure. London links the latter to what it describes as a Russian campaign of drone incursions across the UK and Europe.

On the naval side, the two countries will share experience from building frigates from a common design: the British Type 31 and the Polish Miecznik. They also plan more defensive maritime activity and regional coordination in the Baltic Sea, to help protect sea lines of communication. Cooperation on cyber security is meant to help both countries defend military and civilian sites.

Industry and exercises

The ministry says the plan builds on existing deals, citing Poland’s purchase of the Narew air-defence system from MBDA UK. British defence group BAE Systems and Poland’s state-owned PGZ are to expand production capacity for large-calibre ammunition, and the two industries will work on closer procurement coordination, training and workforce mobility.

Both countries also intend to keep taking part in large exercises, among them Steadfast Defender, Polish Dragon and Joint Warrior, with a focus on counter-drone warfare, electronic warfare and missile defence.

The announcement also says the UK and Poland are planning a major Coalition of the Willing exercise in Poland next month. According to the ministry, thousands of personnel will take part, to help ensure the Multinational Force Ukraine is ready to support military training and post-war rebuilding in Ukraine.

Context

Poland has been one of the most active voices in Europe on air defence and drone warfare. Earlier this month Geopolitiki reported that Warsaw had ordered an urgent review of its approach to cheap long-range weapons, in Poland orders an urgent strategic review of drones, cheap long-range weapons and new technologies, as Kosiniak-Kamysz visits exercise Blue Eye-26. The new plan with London places part of that effort in a bilateral treaty framework.

The British statement gives no costs, timelines or deployment numbers for the first phase, and no details have yet been published on how the new missile and drone projects will be funded. The text of the Warsaw Defence Plan itself is not part of the press release. The ministry’s release is available on GOV.UK.