The milestone was formally announced on 18 December during a ceremony at the brigade’s base in Sochaczew. According to the ministry, the squadron’s readiness followed comprehensive evaluations in December focused on combat training and its ability to execute missions using command and engagement systems.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz described the development as a significant gain for national security. “Good news for Poland’s security. The 37th Air Defense Missile Squadron has achieved full operational capability,” he said, adding, “This is the moment when the Wisła system, the U.S.-made Patriot launchers, will serve integrated air and missile defense.”
He also underlined the importance of personnel alongside advanced technology. “It is also a great day for the soldiers from Sochaczew. Equipment alone does not fight — the most important are the soldiers and their skills. Thank you for your service, because thanks to it we are gaining a capability that we did not have before,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
Under the first phase of Wisła, Poland procured four Patriot PAC-3+ fire units together with the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, known as IBCS. Initial combat readiness of the 37th Squadron was achieved on 18 December 2024, allowing individual fire units to operate autonomously before progressing to full battalion-level integration.
Full operational capability was preceded by the first live missile firing using Polish Patriot systems on 16 September 2025 at the Central Air Force Training Range in Ustka. During the test, a simulated cruise missile target, an MQM-178 Firejet, was intercepted with MIM-104E GEM-T missiles under IBCS control, marking the first such firing conducted outside the United States in this configuration.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said further stages of Wisła would deepen integration and networked command and control. “Further phases of the Wisła program are ahead of us. We are integrating them within the IBCS system, which is the command ‘brain’ that connects effectors and sensors,” he said, explaining how data from radars is processed to determine which launchers should respond.
He later described the achievement as a landmark in Poland’s air defence architecture. “This is a historic moment. I have just received a report on the full operational readiness of the Patriot system in the 37th Air Defense Missile Squadron, which manages these batteries,” he said, adding, “This is the implementation of the Wisła program — integrated air defense of the Polish state: missile defense, air defense, and counter-drone defense.”
The second phase of Wisła is now under way and includes the production and delivery of 12 additional Patriot PAC-3+ fire units equipped with IBCS and the new LTAMDS GhostEye radars. Poland will be the first user of LTAMDS outside the United States, with future deliveries planned for air defence units in Bytom, Gdynia and Skwierzyna.
Polish officials emphasise that Patriot deployment provides the Armed Forces with capabilities suited to modern battlefield threats while ensuring interoperability with NATO allies. The system is designed to counter ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, aircraft and helicopters, forming the foundation of Poland’s layered air and missile defence network.
