The Cyberspace Defense Forces (Polish:Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni) are a specialized component of the Polish Armed Forces established on February 8, 2022 by the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak in Warsaw. Creation Day, February 8, is symbolic as it is Safer Internet Day.[1][2]
The unit is to deal with cyber-security of the Republic of Poland in the military dimension. The unit cooperates with the National Cyberspace Security Center. The Act of March 11, 2022 on the defense of the Fatherland mentions in art. 15 sec. 4 point 2 of the Cyberspace Defense Forces, defining them as a specialized component of the Armed Forces.[3]
At the launch ceremony at the Military University of Technology, the Ministry of National Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak, said, "In 2016 NATO announced cyberspace as another domain in which Article 5 [the collective defence clause of the North Atlantic Treaty] could be activated. The WOC is part of the regular army, with reconnaissance, defence, and offensive capabilities."[4]
