JULY 14, 2025 – The infrastructure of deterrence continues to grow in Poland, with crews actively building the foundations for interoperability, readiness and lethality for troops at military bases across Poland.
Most of the work is part of the Poland Provided Infrastructure program, through which the Polish military funds and leads construction of military infrastructure that is designed and constructed to meet U.S. requirements for use by U.S. forces operating in Poland. For its part, the U.S. will continue to bear the costs of training, equipping, deploying and employment of U.S. forces in the country.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers represents U.S. European Command as the U.S. execution agent for the program and works closely with Polish partners to support design and construction efforts for projects in the PPI program. This includes early design development, design review processes and on-site construction oversight to enable seamless interoperability.
“The Corps of Engineers is working with our Polish counterparts to deliver military projects all over Poland,” said Europe District Northern Europe Area Office Engineer Guillermo Provencio. “The projects we’re delivering increase U.S. readiness, Polish readiness and NATO readiness in Eastern Europe and we are proud to be part of the Poland Provided Infrastructure program.”
Provencio oversees several Europe District personnel based at U.S. Army Garrison’s headquarters on Camp Kościuszko in Poznań. This team works closely with Polish partners on construction at various military sites where U.S. and Polish forces operate side by side.
In all, the PPI program will deliver more than 100 projects at military sites throughout Poland. The first project formal PPI project broke ground in 2022 and, so far, several have already been completed, several are in active construction and dozens are already well into design.
Europe District’s personnel in Poland are part of Europe District’s recently organized Poland Integrated Program Office meant to streamline support and coordination for the PPI program.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is committed to delivering the Poland Provided Infrastructure program with precision and efficiency. By aligning our resources through the Integrated Program Office, we ensure seamless execution of critical projects that enhance NATO’s Eastern Flank,” said Europe District Poland IPO Chief Tom Waters. “Our partnership with the Polish government continues to strengthen daily, reinforcing our shared commitment to regional security and operational excellence.”
The current PPI construction mission is largely focused on the three main military communities supported by U.S. Army Garrison Poland – Poznań, Powidz and Świętoszów.
In Poznań, U.S. Army Garrison Poland and V Corps Headquarters Forward occupy the relatively small footprint of Camp Kościuszko. Most of the upcoming work in Poznań is focused on renovating and improving existing buildings with plans in the works for significant interior renovations that will significantly increase administrative space for personnel.
Powidz has seen a great deal of new construction in recent years, with even more projects on the horizon. Through PPI, a new Deployable Air Base System support and storage facilities project is nearly complete that will further enable readiness for the U.S. Air Force. Additionally, a new Bulk Fuel Storage project and associated site improvements as well as key communication infrastructure will also increase Powidz’s operational capacity.
Work is also underway for a new rotary wing apron, which will be able to support a combat aviation brigade’s full complement of helicopters and the lethality and other capabilities they represent.
On the quality of life side, work recently began on a new barracks and dining facility for the rotational troops stationed there.
Świętoszów includes the Żagań Training Complex and other military sites in southwestern Poland. Right now, crews are working to increase fueling and rail infrastructure. Designs are in the works for a wide range of additional military infrastructure including an entire new brigade operations facility. This effort will involve design and construction of multiple facilities to accommodate an enduring presence of approximately 4,800 troops.
Europe District works closely with different regional Polish military construction counterparts, which operate much like how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has regional districts in the United States. Europe District Project Engineer Jeff Thompson emphasized the importance of that relationship in delivering projects and how it is continuing to develop as the PPI program grows.
“We have a lot of different Polish partners that we work with and in this region we work with RZI Wrocław and we really work to build that relationship… they have been the best of partners, great at communication, friendly, always willing to learn and also teach me,” Thompson said while on site in Świętoszów. “There are problems and there are solutions and you just need people to work together and work through them and the more we work with RZI Wroclaw and other Polish partners, the better we get at that and the easier that cooperation will be in the future between the U.S. and Poland.”
Waters emphasized that the success of the PPI program hinges on the strength of collaborative partnerships and sustained relationships, underscoring their critical role in achieving seamless execution and advancing shared strategic objectives.
“The PPI program exemplifies the robust and growing partnership between the U.S. and Polish militaries,” Waters said. “As part of this enduring collaboration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is honored to contribute to initiatives that enhance Poland National Defense and NATO’s Eastern Flank. Through the PPI program, we are witnessing tangible improvements in readiness and interoperability, with continued benefits anticipated as the program expands.”
By Christopher Gardner