Air defence and aviation in Świdnik

Poland is deploying a Patriot air defence missile battery to the Lublin region, marking the first time Polish Patriot systems are stationed in the voivodeship. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the decision during a press conference on 5 October 2026 at Lublin Airport in Świdnik. The missile system will protect civil air traffic, which has faced recurrent interruptions from security alerts near the eastern border.

“Lublin Voivodeship is one of two, alongside Podkarpacie, most experienced with alerts and threats. Situations that require social resilience and cooperation, including local and military authorities, to show that Lublin and Podkarpacie are safe.”

The Ministry of National Defence also plans to establish a Land Forces Helicopter Aviation Base at the Świdnik airfield. The military is negotiating to acquire approximately 20 hectares from Lublin Airport, with officials aiming to finalize the property agreement by the end of 2026. The installation will prepare infrastructure ahead of deliveries of AH-64E Apache combat helicopters, which are scheduled to begin arriving from the United States in 2028.

Formation of the 18th Motorized Brigade

The ministry is moving forward with forming the 18th Motorized Brigade, which forms part of the 18th Mechanized Division. The unit is currently developing on the basis of existing infrastructure from the 19th Brigade headquartered in Lublin. Brigade command headquarters will be established in Opole Lubelskie county, shifting from an earlier plot in Poniatowa selected in October 2023 under former defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

“We inherited a bad location decision from our predecessors. I do not want to accuse anyone of bad intentions, but you cannot create a military unit at a site of torture, a place of martyrdom of Polish soldiers where their remains were found, first for ethical reasons, and second due to long-term research work that will take place there.”

The ministry is evaluating alternate sites for the brigade headquarters, including 32 hectares managed by the State Forests and a boarding school facility offered by the Opole Lubelskie county starostwo. In addition, part of the 18th Motorized Brigade will be stationed in Biłgoraj, where the army will base a motorized battalion alongside dedicated air defence units.

Drone units and base expansions

Further military investments across the voivodeship focus on specialised capabilities and heavy armour support. In Łuków, the armed forces plan to establish an unmanned systems unit, with Kosiniak-Kamysz stating the objective is to build up to a dedicated drone warfare brigade. The minister identified drone systems as a core development priority for the Polish armed forces.

Additional infrastructure developments include the expansion of the Polish Air Force University from Dęblin, which received several dozen hectares of land in Sobieszyn. Near Kraśnik, facilities are designated to base M1 Abrams main battle tanks. Following discussions between Kosiniak-Kamysz and Chief of the General Staff General Wiesław Kukuła, military investments in Lubelskie and Podkarpackie will receive the highest operational priority in the coming year.