POWIDZ, Poland — The newest, most modern prepositioned stocks facility in the world, officially named the Powidz Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite, began receiving the first batch of equipment June 27, 2024, by rail. When all the equipment at the Powidz APS-2 location is fully in place it will be able to outfit an entire modernized armored brigade combat team.
The receipt of 14 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks and one M88 armored recovery vehicle brings the facility one step closer to being fully mission capable. The new worksite, a NATO-funded project and the most significant single infrastructure endeavor by NATO in the past 30 years, is expected to reach full mission capability by 2025.
When fully stocked with over 5,000 major end items in the weeks and months to come — including hundreds of M1A2 tanks, M2 Bradley fighting vehicles, M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and more — the site will serve as one of six active APS-2 worksites in Europe under the mission command of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade.
The Powidz APS-2 worksite can be leveraged by the Army for use by U.S.-based armored brigade combat teams deploying to Europe for training or contingency operations. The site will allow the Army to quickly project combat power to NATO’s eastern flank, drastically reducing the timeline associated with deploying large quantities of equipment from the U.S. to Europe.
“This is the premiere facility when it comes to prepositioned stocks,” said Col. Ernest Lane II, the 405th AFSB commander. “What makes this facility so important is the relationship between the U.S., NATO and our Polish partners. This facility allows us to maintain readiness while working by, with, and through our partners.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helped to design the state-of-the-art APS-2 worksite, which encompasses 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space, a vehicle maintenance facility and various supporting structures, plus 58,000 square feet of munitions storage.
The facility was designed and built to meet construction standards in Poland and will become the new home of one of U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s most vital capabilities —an entire armored brigade combat team’s worth of tactical vehicles and equipment sets — managed and maintained at ready-to-issue standards by the 405th AFSB’s Army Field Support Battalion-Poland.
The Powidz APS-2 worksite demonstrates the U.S. and NATO’s commitment to maintaining rapid deployment capabilities, playing a crucial role in deterrence through enduring agreements and strategic investments. In addition, it alleviates many of the deployment requirements typically associated with deploying major combat units to Europe from the U.S. It is estimated that APS-2 worksites in Europe, like Powidz, can help reduce deployment timelines for an armored brigade combat team from 60 days to as little as a week or two.
The 405th AFSB’s prepositioned stocks program and it’s six APS-2 worksites can also be used during major exercises. As U.S.-based combat units arrive in Poland or nearby countries for exercises like DEFENDER, they can draw their required equipment and vehicles for the exercises from APS-2.
The 405th AFSB commander was at the Powidz APS-2 worksite when the first Abrams tanks arrived at the site by rail. He emphasized the importance of the APS-2 worksite, saying, “APS-2 is about deterrence and ensuring that we can rapidly deploy our forces on a moment’s notice.”
“This facility has a huge impact on NATO. The strategic location allows us to have multiple avenues of approach and routes of departure and embarkation. It is an example of strategic positioning in the right place, at the right time,” Lane said.
“It’s a forward projection platform to be utilized in Europe. It allows an armored brigade to deploy to Europe and receive necessary equipment within 48 hours,” added Lt. Col. Omar McKen, the AFSBn-Poland commander, who is tasked with mission command of the Powidz APS-2 worksite.
The construction of the Powidz APS-2 worksite represents a significant leap forward in enhancing NATO’s operational readiness and strategic capabilities on its eastern flank. The worksite bolsters defense capabilities and strengthens deterrence efforts while also demonstrating the U.S.’s continued commitment to its European allies and partners. Ultimately, the Powidz APS-2 worksite helps to solidify an important partnership between the U.S., NATO and Poland, highlighting a commitment to the collective defense and security of Europe.
The 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program enhances U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s readiness and capability to support the warfighter while simultaneously promoting stability and security in the region. By providing turn-key power projection APS-2 packages ready to employ at a moment’s notice, the APS-2 program is a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s power projection and warfighter readiness missions.
The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The brigade provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website and the official Facebook site.
(This news article was written by Capt. Michael Mastrangelo, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, and Cameron Porter, 405th AFSB Public Affairs Officer)
