Poland Plans to Formally Increase Its Army to 500,000 by 2039
The Polish Armed Forces Development Program envisages increasing the size of the Armed Forces to 500,000 personnel by 2039. However, only 300,000 of them will be active military personnel, with the remaining 200,000 being reservists.
This was reported by the official website of the Polish Armed Forces.
According to the ministry, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland have begun implementing a new development plan. This is a document of strategic importance that defines the directions for the transformation of the Polish Armed Forces over the next 15 years.
The plan is of fundamental importance for the military. In particular, it defines the target size, directions for the development of operational capabilities, priorities for technical modernization, and the principles for the formation and maintenance of reserves.
The content of the program defines seven priority areas for the transformation of the Armed Forces. According to the plan, by 2039, the size of the Polish Armed Forces is to increase to 500,000 military personnel. Of these, 300,000 will be active duty personnel and 200,000 will be reserves, including the newly created high-readiness reserve.
“The basic assumption is the concept of ‘quality multiplied by quantity,’ that is, numerical growth while simultaneously improving the quality of personnel through the ethos of the winning soldier, talent management in professional development, and the integration of innovation as a key factor in combat operations. This approach allows us to neutralize the numerical superiority of a potential adversary and build reliable capabilities for deterrence and defense of the state,” the ministry said.
The leading idea of the plan is to change the deterrence paradigm by developing “deterrence through punishment” capabilities — effective strike systems capable of neutralizing enemy centers of gravity and delivering high-precision strikes.
At the same time, the plan provides for the development of integrated missile, air, and anti-drone defense to protect our own forces and ensure the safety of the population.
The program also provides for the creation and maintenance of an adequate number of trained reserves. The availability of reserves is identified as a key factor in deterrence and sustained defense in the event of a high-intensity conflict. The priority will be to improve the quality of training, increase its intensity, and introduce a new system for maintaining the combat readiness of the reserves.
The document also covers the widespread introduction of unmanned and autonomous systems. Dronization and robotization should affect all types of troops, domains, and combat functions: reconnaissance, decision support, strike, and logistical support — at all levels.
It is worth noting that the budget plans for 2026 include, in particular, planned limits on the average annual number of military personnel and army employees. According to these plans, in 2026, the Polish Army is expected to have 163,641 professional military personnel (including those undergoing training), 24,000 military personnel in the Voluntary Basic Military Service (including those undergoing training), 40,000 Territorial Military Service personnel, 3,000 active reserve personnel, 5,000 passive reserve personnel, and 57,686 civilian military personnel.
In total, the Polish Army can expect to have 227,641 active military personnel in 2026, which is a decrease of 14,087 compared to 2025. As noted in the publication Dziennik Zbrojny, the reduction in the average annual staffing levels planned for 2026 compared to the plan for 2025 is intended to make them more realistic.
