U.S. and Polish officials marked the beginning of the Poland Provided Infrastructure (PPI) program with a groundbreaking ceremony for a munitions storage area in Powidz, Poland June 2.
This project is funded by the NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP), Poland and the United States Air Force. The project is being executed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and managed as part of the PPI program through our strong bi-lateral partnership.
“Being part of the North Atlantic Alliance, we are doing all of this to make Poland safe, to make the entire Eastern Flank of NATO safe,” said Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak.
The PPI program is part of the 2020 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between Poland and the U.S. The EDCA supplements the 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement and outlines the legal status of U.S. forces in Poland. It also provides the necessary authorities for U.S. forces to access specific Polish military installations and supports expanded infrastructure for U.S. forces at those locations.
“We are proud to partner with Poland on all of these efforts,” said Mark Brzezinski, Ambassador of the United States to Poland. “Together we are strengthening NATO and increasing transatlantic security for decades to come.”
PPI provides a mechanism for sharing the costs for U.S. forces in Poland. Infrastructure projects are funded by Poland and are 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. While there are no specific force posture announcements at this time, PPI projects create the capacity for increases in U.S. troop presence as needed to deter emerging threats and reinforce regional security.
“Through the Poland Provided Infrastructure program, Poland is not only investing in its own defense, but in the defense of the Alliance as a whole,” said Rear Adm. Duke Heinz, USEUCOM director of logistics. “PPI reinforces the already strong ties between our two nations, facilitates the increase of U.S. operational capability and capacity within Poland and enhances our shared posture and readiness to deter threats and defend NATO’s Eastern Flank.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is supporting design and construction efforts for projects in the PPI program, including early design development, design review processes and on-site construction oversight to enable seamless interoperability.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proud to partner with EUCOM and the Polish Ministry of Defense to support their delivery of the Polish Provided Infrastructure program,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District Commander Col. Pat Dagon. “This program is a great example of how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can support our international allies ensure seamless interoperability of forces as they carry out military construction in support of our shared strategic goals.”