Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1528235
Since then, debates on defense, resilience, and civil defense have become increasingly heated, partly due to the government's preparation of a civil defense Act. Moreover, there have been pu- blic statements from the Chief of the General Staff about further expanding the size of the army. According to announcements from February 2024, the peacetime army is supposed to number as many as 450,000 soldiers, including 150,000 members of active reserve. All of this brings us back to the issue of reservist training and the possible reinstatement of conscription back into focus, even though decision-makers currently rule out its immediate return. However, it could happen in the future. To start, it is important to mention two key factors. First, any organizational or legal changes do not occur in an empty space. One can devise an ideal solution for military training or try to import foreign models, but... a clear-headed perspective must be maintained. The legal framework governing military matters is determined by the Constitution and the Act on Homeland Defense, and it is unlikely that they will be radically altered. Amending the law or passing new legislation is a lengthy process that involves many entities, and each such legal act must go through a long journey from the drafting of assumptions, through parliamentary work, to the president's signature. Second, when discussing any changes or reforms con- cerning the military, context must always be taken into consideration. For the military, the context of its existen- ce, shaping its structure, principles of service, and equip- ment, will always be: the actual or potential enemy, the area of operations, and the tasks to be carried out. The enemy is known and no longer is he just a potential one: it is Russia, which uses its armed forces, intelligence services, non-state actors, and allies like the Belarusian regime in its policies. A hybrid or conventional attack on Poland and other NATO countries is possible. This also clarifies the issues of the area of operations, and tasks. The Polish Armed Forces may be involved in defending its own territory, against conventional or hy- brid attacks. The Polish military is also likely to assist its allies, primarily other countries on NATO's eastern flank. Finally, overseas deployments beyond NATO's area of responsibility are possible, although it is believed that such engagements will be limited and we won't be sending large detachments or task forces like those that used to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. This means that the priority will be to prepare for potential armed confrontation with an opponent who- se military strength is based primarily on numbers, which is likely to be a key factor in shaping any poten- tial battlefield. This is most evident in terms of manpower—Russia has lost at least 440,000 people in the war in Ukraine, inclu- ding those killed, dead, wounded, missing, or POWs. The ANALISYS