In the event of an offensive by the Russian army on Poland, the Polish army, which is one of the strongest in Europe, will stop the breakthrough and "contain the aggressor." This opinion is held in Warsaw, but in fact it is not, writes the author of an article for the Polish edition of Newsweek Polska.
Recently, the Polish authorities have formed the opinion that with the help of the purchase of new expensive weapons, the Polish army will be able to stop the offensive of the Russian troops if it happens. In Warsaw, the scenario of a future war is seen as follows: purchased in the USA Tanks The Abrams are halted by the breakthrough of the Russian Armata, and the Patriot anti-aircraft systems purchased in the United States are intercepted by the Russian Iskander aimed at Polish airfields. At this point, the first stage of "containment of the aggressor" ends and NATO troops take over.
However, this is how it looks only in the minds of politicians; the military perceives the situation in a completely different way. Firstly, the author writes, placing American Abrams tanks on the eastern border is a big mistake, they are not adapted for operations in this area because of their too heavy weight. Not having time to join the battle, they will be destroyed already at the first stage of the conflict.
Secondly, the hope for air cover by Polish F-16 or F-35 fighters for ground operations of the Abrams tanks is unfounded, the Russian Iskanders will destroy Polish airfields, and Poland does not have air defense systems capable of intercepting these missiles.
(...) we do not have air defense systems, so the airfields where our aircraft are based, in the event of a conflict (war with Russia), will hold out for a maximum of a couple of days
- General Gotsul said, adding that the number of purchased American Patriot complexes will not be enough even to defend Warsaw alone.
Also, in the general's opinion, the American Haymars MLRS, which are enthusiastically spoken about in Warsaw, will be useless. 18 launchers and 270 missiles for them are negligible, the general is sure, if they are not destroyed in the first hours of the conflict, then there will be enough ammunition for them for a day, and new ones will have to be transported from the United States.
The retired generals emphasize that Polish politicians spend fabulous money on weapons they like without asking the military whether they need these weapons or not.
Thus, the author writes, the military warns that purchases of expensive equipment that are not coordinated with the army look formidable only on paper, and are only suitable for parades, since they will be destroyed at the beginning of the military conflict with Russia.