During the last day of MSPO 2026 in Kielce, the Polish Armed Forces Group presented the direction of development: its own satellite connectivity, integration of diagnosis with command and departure from reactive action. For Poland, this means an chance to have more control over military information, faster decisions and to make national competences alternatively of permanent dependence on another people's systems.
Orbital data must lead to decision
The debate took place at the stand of the Polish Armed Group on the last day of the global Defence manufacture Salon 2026 in Kielce. General Tomasz Piotrowski, erstwhile Operation Commander of Armed Forces Types, first Vice president of PGZ Arkadiusz Bąk, Head of the Geospatial designation and Satellite Services Agency, Colonel Leszek Paszkowski and president of ICEYE Polska Witold Witkowicz took part. The conversation afraid satellite communications, reconnaissance and information circulation in the Armed Forces of Poland.
The most crucial conclusion is simple: modern equipment without a coherent command strategy does not give a full advantage. Colonel Paszkowski pointed out that the next phase of improvement should be its own satellite communication. Arkadiusz Bąk talked about the request to combine reconnaissance with data recipients throughout the army. Gen. Piotrowski stressed that the technological leap must go hand in hand with the construction of an efficient decision-making system.
There's a time between hazard detection and response. If satellite data gets stuck in scattered channels, even the costly sensor won't translate into an effective military operation. Poland so needs architecture that combines recognition, safe transmission and command. It's 1 organism, not a collection of effective purchases.
Your own satellite connection already has a frame
The debate was not held in vacuum. On September 11, 2026, PGZ and ICEYE signed a letter of intent concerning joint work on military satellite communications strategy MILSATCOM for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. By ICEYE authoritative message the programme is to be implemented from 2026 to 2030 and the full operational capacity is planned at the end of that period. The strategy is to have distributed architecture, encrypted communications, ground infrastructure in Poland and stay under Polish control.
It is inactive a phase of concept and cooperation, not ready capacity. However, the direction is right. Our own MILSATCOM limits the hazard that at the time of crisis the Polish military will be dependent on the decision of a abroad operator, access to abroad infrastructure or licensing conditions established outside Poland. PGZ and ICEYE Plan on Polish MILSATCOM it now requires strict monitoring of the participation of national companies, transfer of competences and control of data.
Cooperation already has applicable facilities. In May 2026 The ICEYE transferred the MicroSAR radar designation strategy to the Polish Armed Forces. The company reported that it included 4 satellites with SAR radars, and the ground section and mobile infrastructure provided Military Communications Plant No. 1 from the PGZ Group. This example shows that the Polish manufacture can enter the cosmic capacity chain, if the order has a clear intent and leads to independent operation of the system.
PGZ wants to break the reactivity
Arkadiusz Bąk acknowledged during the debate that the Group's weakness for years was reactivity. According to him, in the last 2 years the approach has begun to change. specified a diagnosis of the problem is needed, but the state-owned arms company does not account for the declaration. Time limits, interoperability, technology rights, servicing capacity and participation of Polish factories are important.
The PGZ should act as an integrator of the Polish defence system, not as an intermediary consisting of another solutions. Partnership with a company experienced in the maintenance of satellite constellations can accelerate capacity building, but the national interest requires the recording of Polish control in program architecture, contracts and regular operation. Otherwise, the password of sovereignty will stay marketing.
MSPO 2026 besides showed another shortcomings of the Polish army, from defence against unmanned workers to support systems. Satellite connectivity spins many of these abilities. Without a certain flow of data, the military sees less, reacts slower and uses little weapons, for which Polish taxpayers pay.
Sovereignty is measured by control
For Poland, there are 3 dimensions: military, industrial and economic. The army receives stronger connectivity, national betting acquires competence, and solutions can gain export potential. The condition is one. Poland must have a real impact on the strategy from the space section to the soldier's terminal.
Departing from reactivity means predicting needs before the crisis, not buying under force from events. If PGZ translates the Kielce Declarations into its own competences, coherent architecture and timely implementation, the Polish state will gain a tool for freedom of action. If it stops on the intent lists, the dependency will remain, only under a fresh name.
Source: Defence24
