US Army Base in Wrocław: What Is Being Built and Why It Matters

An APOD, or Air Port of Debarkation, is being built in Wrocław, or more understandably, an air unloading base. The military investment is located at an airport that many of us are familiar with.

Wrocław Airport, from which we sometimes fly on vacation, is a dual-use airport: both military and civilian. This is where the infrastructure for the Americans is being prepared.

Military tracks to the airport are already under construction

Some of these investments are visible to the naked eye, and it is no exaggeration to say that they are happening right under the residents' windows. We wrote about the dissatisfaction that the construction of tracks leading to the airport caused in Muchobór Wielki.

This is one of the many tasks being carried out by the Regional Infrastructure Management Board in Wrocław for the needs of the American base. The new track, which is being built on the site of the old one, which has been in operation for decades, will connect the military base with the port and will be connected to the Wrocław Zachodni station.

Major investments in the American base

As we were informed by Colonel Robert Wójcik, head of the Regional Infrastructure Management Board in Wrocław, in addition to the aforementioned railway siding, the following are being built for the needs of the US Armed Forces air base:

a parking apron,
taxiways to the apron,
an area for the transshipment of hazardous materials and ammunition storage,
transshipment port facilities,
a passenger terminal,
temporary accommodation,
a canteen,
a laundry,
a clinic,
a sports center,
a post office,
an administrative building,
and a weapons warehouse.

In addition, telecommunications infrastructure will also be built and the anti-terrorism security system will be modernized.

Investments in the civilian airport are equally impressive

The military carried out work directly on the runway at the same time as the civilian investment, when Wrocław airport was closed for 40 days (from October 26 to December 4, 2025). On one side of the runway, the connection to the taxiway was built by civilians, and on the other side by the military.

The current expansion of the operational part of the airport – the civilian part – will cost as much as PLN 460 million.

A dual-purpose airport

The military significance of Wrocław Airport was emphasized during a visit to Wrocław by Jakub Stefaniak, Secretary of State, Deputy Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

“This is a strategic investment from the point of view of Poland's raison d'état,” said Jakub Stefaniak about the airport's expansion. "Dual use means the simultaneous use of civilian potential for military purposes and vice versa. Wrocław is cooperating with the army to create better conditions for civilian passenger traffic while building infrastructure for the military.

Colonel Robert Wójcik reports that thanks to the implementation of all projects under the Polish-American agreement, the airport will be able to handle C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft, and in conjunction with the investments of Wrocław Airport, it will be able to accept F-code aircraft and achieve a 10th safety category.

What does Code F and safety category 10 mean?

Code F is the highest category of airport and aircraft classification. It means that the airport is capable of handling the largest aircraft in the world. The airport infrastructure – not just the runway – is large and robust enough to safely accommodate giants such as the largest American military transport aircraft, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
Fire protection category 10 (ARFF – Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting) is the highest possible level of rescue security.

American base, Polish money

The construction of four American military bases in Poland will cost around PLN 2 billion, of which approximately PLN 750 million will be spent on the Wrocław base. These are American bases, but their construction is being financed by Poland. The agreement specifying this was signed in 2020.

Now, Deputy Minister Cezary Tomczyk has announced that the Americans have approved the construction plans, i.e., the technical aspects of the facilities that are being built and will be built. PLN 750 million is an investment in the military part of the airport in Wrocław.

The aforementioned PLN 460 million investment in the civilian part is a separate amount provided by Port Lotniczy Wrocław (owned by the city of Wrocław, the local government of the Lower Silesian Province, and Porty Lotnicze) with EU support of PLN 175 million.