Just a few years ago, it was a quiet city in eastern Poland, outside the main currents of the largest economic processes. Today, billions of PLN flow through it, NATO forces operate there, and global corporations are expanding their facilities.
For years, it has been building its position. The foundation was the aviation industry. The Aviation Valley has been thriving in the region for quite some time, a cluster that brings together over 180 companies, employs tens of thousands of workers, and generates billions of PLN in annual revenue. These are not local businesses. Among the investors are major players such as Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin, global corporations that have established their European operations here in the Podkarpacie region.
Everything changed in a single day
At the same time, the technology sector was developing. In Rzeszów alone, dozens of IT companies are now operating, and the Rzeszów University of Technology has for years been educating engineers and specialists eagerly absorbed by both industry and the digital sector. The city began appearing in rankings as one of the fastest-growing urban centers in Poland. But the real turning point came with the war.
After the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the Rzeszów-Jasionka airport became the main hub for deliveries of weapons and aid to Ukraine. Today, about 95 percent of military assistance sent from over 40 countries passes through this hub. In 2025 alone, this amounted to approximately 220,000 tons of equipment. Near the city, Lockheed Martin and RTX have opened service bases for HIMARS and Patriot systems, while the Polish Armaments Group, together with the German companies Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, repairs Leopard 2 tanks damaged at the front. Rzeszów has become the technical backbone of the entire front.
NATO stands guard
The importance of this location is also evident in how it is protected. Since December 2025, the hub at Rzeszów-Jasionka has been shielded by Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems deployed as part of a NATO mission. This signals that the Alliance considers this infrastructure critical to the security of the entire eastern flank.
The effects are also visible within the city itself. Rzeszów has been growing faster than most Polish cities for years. In the early 2000s, it had around 150,000 residents; today, it exceeds 190,000. The city’s budget for 2026 is the highest in its history – over PLN 2.6 billion, with more than PLN 411 million allocated to investments. New residential areas, roads, and sports facilities are being built.
Additionally, there is Via Carpatia, one of the largest infrastructure projects in this part of the continent. The route is intended to connect northern and southern Europe along the eastern flank of the European Union. Rzeszów lies directly along its axis.
As a result, something has happened that no one would have expected not long ago. The capital of the Podkarpacie region is now one of the most important points on the map of Europe.