[Country Conference] Poland: The unattainable dream of the Polish Eldorado?

The unattainable dream of the Polish Eldorado?
Lecture by Patrick MICHON (1971)

Poland occupies a key geopolitical position, being the most populous country in the "New Europe" and geographically on the border of the former USSR, facing 3 problematic entities: the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, Belarus, which looks like a Soviet "Jurassic Park", and Ukraine. Historical relations with Russia are not good, far from it, between the successive partitions of Poland in the 18th century, the national revolts of the ^19th century, the war against the Bolsheviks in 1919 - 1920, the stabbing of 1939 -Katyn-, the enslavement to the Kremlin from 1945 to 1989.

The Polish Armed Forces, guarantors of the country's independence, remain very popular. In 2016, much of the equipment used by these forces is produced by a local arms industry, which we would like to introduce to you here. Since the fall of Communism and its integration into the European Union and NATO, Poland has continued to modernize its forces and develop its national industry. It's worth noting that the Armed Forces have always been very popular in the wake of historical ordeals, as the Communist regime rarely used them for internal repression.

In 2016, the re-equipment of the Armed Forces is underway, and the Polish army is in great demand from American, Israeli, German and British manufacturers. The most active competitors in this market are of course taking advantage of Poland's pro-NATO bias. American influence is perceptible: culturally and politically, thanks to a large Polish diaspora in the United States, and militarily, with Poland's consequent involvement in NATO. Is Poland an outlet for the French defense industry? The potential setbacks for Airbus Helicopters, which is in danger of seeing a major contract to supply Caracal transport helicopters cancelled following the change of government, should give us cause for concern?

About Patrick MICHON :
Patrick MICHON, Telecom Paristech 71, has spent his entire career in the arms industry, first with the DGA, then with various French industrial groups (SFIM, EADS, then SAGEM Défense & Sécurité until 2010 as Export Director). It was in this context that he worked for over 10 years at the Moyen-Orient. He now advises the CEOs of innovative defense SMEs on their development.
Patrick MICHON has also been involved for many years in teaching at the CHEAR (now IHEDN Armement et économie de Défense) National Sessions, as a Study Adviser and Lecturer. His lectures focus on the defense industry, analyzing geopolitics, threats to territorial integrity, equipment for the armed forces, and the capacity of local industries to supply equipment.)