Poland opens new military logistic center to strengthen NATO's eastern flank

Poland on Monday opened a new defense center built with UK expertise to strengthen the country's air defenses and reinforce NATO's eastern flank. The repair and logistics center in Czosnów, central Poland, will help protect the country's airspace using UK expertise, the British Defense Ministry said in a statement. The opening of the new defense facility took place earlier Monday, attended by UK Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard and Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski, as part of the "UK's commitment to protecting NATO's eastern flank against increasing Russian aggression." "UK personnel will work alongside Polish counterparts at the site to help protect Poland's airspace," the statement read. The center will enable faster, more direct maintenance, support, and training for Poland's PILICA+ program—a multi-billion-dollar initiative building an integrated air defense network to protect Polish skies in partnership with the UK. "Stronger Polish air defenses mean stronger NATO air defenses, and that work is taking place while also supporting jobs in both nations," Pollard said.