Poland is set to complete a new anti-drone defense system along its eastern borders within two years, following a large Russian drone incursion earlier this year. Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk told the Guardian, “We expect to have the first capabilities of the system in roughly six months, perhaps even sooner. And the full system will take 24 months to complete.” The system will integrate with an older defense line from ten years ago and will include layers such as machine guns, cannon, missiles, and drone-jamming technology. Tomczyk noted some weapons, like multi-barrel machine guns, are reserved for wartime due to the risks of firing during peace. In September, over a dozen suspected Russian drones entered Polish airspace causing airport closures and fighter jets to scramble. No drones carried ammunition, but damage occurred when some were shot down. Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called the attacks “an attempt by Russia to test us without starting a war.” Poland will spend over €2bn, mainly funded by the EU's SAFE defense loan program and state budget. Along with anti-drone defenses, Poland is building fortifications on its borders with Belarus and Kaliningrad under the Eastern Shield project. Special logistics hubs will store border equipment for quick deployment. Tomczyk said, “Europe is not at risk of war in the conventional, strict sense of the word. What we will face instead are provocations and acts of sabotage.” He warned that if Russia wins in Ukraine, it may turn its attention to Europe. Poland has increased defense spending to 4.7% of GDP, among the highest in the EU. Tomczyk emphasized the need for preparedness, saying, “Ukraine is spending around 40% of its GDP on the war, and anyone wondering what percentage we should devote to the military ought to ask themselves whether it’s better to raise spending from, say, 2% to 3 or 3.5%, or to let it rise from 2% all the way to 40% later.” On Russia’s intentions, Tomczyk highlighted historical aggression and said, “These conquests function mainly as a political tool for maintaining power... An external war becomes a domestic instrument in Russia.”