Poland has been a NATO member since 12^th April 1999. During these years of membership we have deeply transformed our Armed forces introducing significant changes in both their structure and control/command systems. We developed new command and staff structures and implemented them in the Polish Armed Forces General Staff and the commands of different services of the Armed Forces as well as divisions, brigades, and units designated as the primary choice for NATO operations. 

To improve the efficiency of command system the Air Operations and the Naval Operations Centers have been established. To coordinate our effort and command Polish troops abroad the Operations Command was established. To sum up we began restructuring all Poland's defence systems, including the logistics to make it interoperable with NATO nations' armed forces.

Moreover, our Armed Forces have been transformed into a fully professional organisation and conscript military service was abolished.

Currently Polish Armed Forces comprise the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces with the total of approximately 99,000 troops, 39% of which stay in the category of Deployable Forces.

Currently, POL AF are involved in the ISAF operation, KFOR, EUFOR and NTM-I. As a NATO nation, Polish Armed Forces regularly contribute warships to Alliance's maritime operations such as. ACTIVE ENDAVOUR in the Mediterranean and (on the rotational basis) MiG 29 Fulcrum fighters to carry out Air Policing over the Baltic States. Poland, as all NATO nations, undoubtedly recognizes the importance of the successful ISAF mission conduct both for the global security and the Alliance. Therefore, we have deployed a contingent of 2600 troops in the Afghan Ghazni Province the core of which is the Task Force White Eagle, and have provided four OMLTs as well as five POMLTs that support training of the Afghan Army and police forces. For the period of six months of 2010 we also assumed the role of the lead nation in the Kabul International Airport.

Moreover, we have already seen the establishment of the ISAF composite HQ from the Multinational Corps North East HQ in Szczecin which involved activity of the Polish soldiers serving in the Corps HQ formed by Germany, Denmark and Poland. Taking into consideration the size of our Armed forces and the budgetary constraints we face, Polish contribution to the Allied effort in Afghanistan is fair.

Polish defence budget depends on the Gross National Product and amounts to 1,95 % of the GNP. In 2010 it translates to the amount of 25.7 billion zlotys, the level of defence spending which enables modernisation of the armed forces to increase their interoperability capabilities and which enables covering the cost of the deployment of the troops to the missions that I have mentioned.

Poland hosts Joint NATO Force Training Centre (JFTC) which supports training for the Alliance and Partner forces to improve joint and combined tactical interoperability. The JFTC conducts joint training for tactical level command posts and staffs in support of tactical level commanders. Moreover, the JFTC assists ACT in the promotion of NATO doctrine development by co-operating with Centres of Excellence in order to improve NATO's capabilities and interoperability. But JFTC in not the only NATO element in Bydgoszcz. The year 2010 saw the process of forming the 3^rd NATO Signals Battalion there.

At present Poland enjoys an unprecedented time in our history. It is the time of peace which offers a long awaited chance for the development of our country in secure environment. Having experienced the tragedy of partitions and suffered destruction brought by many wars the current time of peace is much appreciated by the nation. We, Poles, believe that it was NATO which contributed to more than 60 years of security in Europe, and are ready to spare no effort for our collective defence within the Alliance.