The Ministry of National Defense of Poland announced that the 37th Air Defense Missile Squadron, belonging to the 3rd Warsaw Air Defense Missile Brigade of the Armed Forces and based in Sochaczew, has reached Full Operational Capability. This milestone allows the unit equipped with Patriot systems to fully integrate into the national and allied air defense system, completing the first phase of the Wisła program.
The formal declaration took place on December 18 during a ceremony held at the Sochaczew base. According to the ministry, the certification of operational capability was preceded by exhaustive evaluations carried out in December, focused on the combat training level of the personnel and the unit’s capacity to execute missions through advanced command, control, and engagement systems.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, highlighted the relevance of the announcement for the country’s security. “Good news for Poland’s security. The 37th Air Defense Missile Squadron has reached its full operational capacity,” he stated, adding: “This is the moment when the Wisła program, the American-made Patriot launchers, will serve as an integrated air and missile defense system.”
The official further emphasized the central role of military personnel in the system’s operability. “It is also a great day for the soldiers of Sochaczew. Equipment alone is not for fighting; the most important thing is the soldiers and their skills. Thank you for your service, because thanks to it we are acquiring a capacity that we did not have before,” he expressed.
Within the framework of the first phase of the Wisła program, Poland acquired four Patriot PAC-3+ fire units along with the IBCS (Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System). Initial combat readiness for the 37th Squadron was reached on December 18, 2024, which allowed the fire units to operate autonomously before moving toward full integration at the battalion level.
Full Operational Capability was preceded by a key milestone: on September 16, 2025, the first live-fire launch of the Wisła system using Polish assets was carried out at the Air Force Central Training Range in Ustka. During the test, a target simulating a cruise missile, an MQM-178 Firejet, was intercepted with MIM-104E GEM-T missiles under the control of the IBCS system. This exercise marked the first time the Patriot/IBCS configuration was employed outside of United States territory.
Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed out that the next stages of the program will deepen the integration and networked command of the system’s various components. “We have other phases of the Wisła program ahead of us. We are integrating them into the IBCS system, which is the command brain that connects effectors and sensors,” he explained, detailing that the system processes radar data to determine which launchers should respond to a threat.
Subsequently, the minister described the achievement as a turning point in the country’s air defense 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 stated, and added: “This is the implementation of the Wisła program: integrated air defense of the Polish state: missile defense, air defense, and anti-drone defense.”
The second phase of the Wisła program is already under development 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 these radars outside the United States, and it is expected that future deliveries will equip air defense units in Bytom, Gdynia, and Skwierzyna.
From the Polish government, they highlight that the deployment of the Patriot systems provides the Armed Forces with capabilities adapted to the threats of the modern battlefield and guarantees interoperability with NATO allies. The system is designed to counteract ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, aircraft, and helicopters, constituting the base of Poland’s layered air and missile defense network.
*Cover image obtained from the account of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz
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