UK Opens MBDA Missile Logistics Centre in Poland to Strengthen Air Defences

September 8, 2026

MBDA has opened a repair and logistics centre in Czosnów, Poland, with UK personnel working alongside Polish counterparts to support the PILICA+ air defence programme. The facility underpins both nations’ commitment to NATO’s eastern flank and sustains over 400 UK jobs across Bristol, Stevenage and Bolton.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, joined Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Zalewski on 7 September 2026 to inaugurate the MBDA missile logistics facility in Czosnów. The centre will provide maintenance, support and training services for Poland’s integrated air defence network, with British staff embedded at the site working in concert with their Polish counterparts.

Supporting Polish Air Defence Capability

The facility enables faster and more direct logistics support for the PILICA+ programme, a multi-billion-pound initiative to build Poland’s sovereign air defence system. MBDA’s expanded presence in Poland will also drive regional investment and innovation while reinforcing stability across NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russian aggression.

The opening reflects the broader UK-Poland defence partnership. The two countries are collaborating on the NAREW programme, valued at over £4 billion, which will deliver more than 1,000 air defence missiles and over 100 launchers to Poland as part of its sovereign manufacturing capability development. The UK and Poland are also co-developing three Arrowhead-design frigates under the MIECZNIK programme, mirroring the Type 31 design being built by Babcock for the Royal Navy; the first Arrowhead entered the water in August 2026.

Government and Industry Support

Pollard stated: “The UK is proud to stand alongside Poland as a close friend, trusted ally, and partner in security, industry collaboration and defence. At a time when Europe faces its most serious security challenges for generations, the opening of MBDA’s new site demonstrates that the relationship between our two nations has never been more important. Stronger Polish air defences means stronger NATO air defences, and that work is taking place while also backing jobs in both nations.”

Chris Allam, MBDA UK Managing Director, added: “We are very pleased the Minister was able to attend the opening of our new facility in Poland. Our site in Czosnów is evidence of how MBDA, as a strategic partner to governments, is helping deliver national sovereign capability, and by extension, facilitating cooperation and supporting the security of NATO partners. Poland and the United Kingdom have a strong, longstanding security relationship, and MBDA is very proud to work with both nations, to find opportunities for co-development of future technology.”

Wider UK-Poland Defence Collaboration

The Czosnów opening comes as part of the Security and Defence Partnership Treaty signed by the UK and Poland in May 2026, which has entered a new phase of deepened cooperation across defence, security and economic resilience. During the visit, Pollard attended MSPO, central Europe’s largest defence exhibition, where 38 UK defence companies were showcasing their capabilities.

The UK has committed £298 billion over four years through the Defence Investment Plan to strengthen both national security and NATO alliance capability.

For the UK Defence Supply Chain

This opening signals sustained demand for NATO eastern flank reinforcement and integrated air defence integration work. UK suppliers in missile systems, logistics support, maintenance training delivery, systems engineering, and air defence radar integration stand to benefit from Poland’s sovereign capability investment and ongoing UK-Poland co-development frameworks. Winning this type of work requires demonstrated experience in NATO interoperability standards, security vetting to defence contractor level, and proven delivery on complex integrated defence programmes. The pattern reflects wider MOD and allied strategy to build sovereign regional capability while cementing UK industrial footprint in NATO’s most exposed member states.