Air Force of the Republic of Poland
Air Force of the Republic of Poland |
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Coat of arms of the Polish Air Force |
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Lineup | 1918 |
Country | Poland |
Armed forces | Polish armed forces |
Type | Armed forces |
Strength | 36,450 (16,126 soldiers) |
Command Command of the Air Force | Warsaw |
Wars |
World War II Iraq War Afghan War 21st Century |
insignia | |
Airplane cockade ( checkerboard pattern ) |
The Air Force of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ) is a branch of the Polish Armed Forces .
history
The Air Force of the Republic of Poland was formed in 1919 from the Blue Army air squadrons, the Naczelny Polski Komitet Wojskowy (Supreme Polish Military Committee) air squadron founded in Russia on the side of the White Army, and the air squadrons established in Poland since 1918. From 1930 the PZL P.7 , a fighter aircraft built by PZL in Warsaw , was introduced. The Polish Air Force was the first air force to be fully equipped with all-metal fighters.
In 1954 the air force was merged with the air defense forces ( Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Przeciwlotniczej Obszaru Kraju - WLiOPL OK ). In 1962 the WLiOPL OK was again divided into the air force ( Wojska Lotnicze ) and air defense forces ( Wojska Obrony Powietrznej Kraju ). On July 1, 1990, the military branches were reunited as the Air Force and Air Defense of the Republic of Poland ( Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - WLOP RP ).
Since July 1, 2004, the official name is Air Force of the Republic of Poland ( Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ).
Second World War
- attack on Poland
During the attack on Poland , the Polish Air Force had the following 392 (as of September 1, 1939) combat-ready aircraft:
- 128 obsolete fighters PZL P-11c and 30 PZL P-7 (the latter with low combat value)
- 114 light bombers PZL P-23B Karaś (crucian carp) - roughly comparable to Ju 87 A.
- 36 PZL P-37 Łoś (Elk) - the only modern combat aircraft of the Polish Air Force
- 84 reconnaissance aircraft (35 RWD-14 Czapla (Heron) and 49 R-XIII )
Other aircraft were practically of no military value and were used for training and reconnaissance.
During the fighting from September 1, 1939 to September 17, 1939, the Polish fighter and anti-aircraft units jointly shot down around 250 German aircraft. In the process, the Polish Air Force lost almost all of its fighters. The bomber units attacked the German armored forces until September 10, 1939. About 80% of all bombers were lost. On September 17, 1939 ( Soviet attack on Poland ) the Polish Air Force received the order to fly to Romania . Only about 80 aircraft (including 19 P-37 Łoś) managed to do this. Later the Romanian Air Force used the Polish PZL P-37 Łoś in the war against the Soviet Union.
- Polish Air Force in the west
Some of the pilots who flew their planes to Romania ended up in England. They were drawn up in Great Britain on August 2, 1940 on the basis of a military agreement between the Polish government in exile and the British government . In the further course of the Second World War, the pilots of the Polish Armed Forces in the west (as part of the Royal Air Force ) proved to be effective, the Polish pilots (5%) recorded about 12% of the kills. The most famous squadron was the Dywizjon 303 .
Air Force of the Polish People's Army
After the Second World War, a Polish People's Army loyal to Moscow was established in Poland ; Poland became a member of the Warsaw Pact . It was only under the Polish Defense Minister Konstantin Rokossowski , who had been in office since 1949 , a Soviet marshal of Polish descent, that the Polish air force became a separate armed force again. Poland largely took over the standard aircraft from Soviet production, in-house designs such as the PZL TS-11 Iskra remained the exception.
The MiG-21 (MiG-21F-13, MiG-21PF and MF as well as MiG-21bis) became the standard aircraft of the Air Force from 1963 . From 1979 the Polish Air Force had 37 MiG-23s and since 1989 also 12 MiG-29s .
Air forces after 1989
After the end of the Warsaw Pact, the air force (under the name Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej ) was reorganized and parts of the outdated aircraft were scrapped. Nevertheless, large parts of the aircraft are still from Soviet production today. At the 1997 NATO summit in Madrid, Poland was offered membership of NATO . Poland has been a member of NATO since March 12, 1999. By 2004, the Polish Air Force had taken over a total of 23 MiG-29s from the German Air Force . As of 2003, Poland acquired 48 F-16 combat aircraft as part of a compensation deal with the USA . It is planned to retire the remaining Su-22 bombers. In December 2003, a Mil Mi-8 government helicopter crashed, with Prime Minister Leszek Miller surviving injured.
On April 10, 2010, a passenger plane of the Polish Air Force of the type Tupolev Tu-154M crashed while approaching Smolensk in thick fog; it had flown too low. All 96 people on board died, including the Polish President Lech Kaczyński , the then commander of the Polish Air Force Andrzej Błasik and numerous other high-ranking Poles (see plane crash near Smolensk ). Błasik's successor was Lech Majewski . As a replacement for the crashed machine, the procurement of type Gulfstream 550 aircraft is planned in the coming years .
structure
The highest military authority in the Polish Air Force is the General Staff of the Polish Army ( Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego ( SG WP )) in Warsaw . Two independent commands are subordinate to the General Staff. The General Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DG RSZ )) is responsible for the readiness of the forces. The Air Force Inspectorate is subordinate to this authority. The Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DO RSZ )) is responsible for military operations, to which the Center for Air Operations is subordinate.
Ministry of National Defense ( Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej ( MON )) (Warsaw)
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General Staff of the Polish Army ( Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego ( SG WP )) ( Warsaw )
- General Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DG RSZ ))
- Air Force Inspectorate ( Sił Powietrznych Inspectorate )
- Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DO RSZ ))
- Center for Air Operations - Command of Air Components ( Centrum Operacji Powietrznych - Dowództwo komponentu Powietrznego ( COP - DKP ))
- General Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DG RSZ ))
The air force units are subordinate to the General Command of the Polish Armed Forces. If necessary, units are subordinated to the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces and integrated into the air component for operations.
The Polish Air Force is divided into three branches of service:
- Air troops ( Wojsk Lotniczych ) - are organized in wings ( Skrzydło , brigade equivalents ), air bases ( Baza lotnycztwa , German air force squadrons) and squadrons ( Eskadra , German air force squadrons ). As of 2017, the aviation troops of the Polish Air Force had two tactical aviation wings, a transport wing and a training wing.
- Anti-aircraft troops ( Wojsk Obrony Przeciwlotniczej ) - are organized into brigades ( Brygada ) and divisions ( Dywizjon ).
- Radio-technical troops ( Wojsk Radiotechnicznych ) - are organized in brigades ( Brygada ) and battalions ( Batalion ).
The logistics troops of the Polish Armed Forces are organized in a cross-armed forces organization, similar to the German armed forces base - the Support Inspectorate of the Armed Forces ( Inspectorate Wsparcia Sił Zbrojnych ). The training facilities for the Polish Air Force are directly integrated into the Ministry of Defense.
Operations Command
Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DO RSZ ))
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Center for Air Operations - Command of Air Components ( Centrum Operacji Powietrznych - Dowództwo komponentu Powietrznego ( COP - DKP )) ( Warsaw- Pyry)
- Mobile operational command unit for air operations ( Mobilna Jednostka Dowodzenia Operacjami Powietrznymi - Poznań -Babki ) (Poznań-Babki Air Base)
- 22. Command and Control Center Tadeusz Henryk Rolski - Bydgoszcz ( 22. Ośrodek Dowodzenia i Naprowadzania im. Płk pil.Tadeusza Henryka Rolskiego - Bydgoszcz ) ( Bydgoszcz Air Base )
- 1. Regional command center and control center "Brigadier General Pilot Stanisław Skalski" ( 1. Regionalny Ośrodek Dowodzenia i Naprowadzania im. Gen. Bryg. Pil. Stanisława Skalskiego - Kraków -Balice) (Kraków-Balice air base)
- 1st Air Operations Coordination Center ( 1st Center Koordynacji Operacji Powietrznych - Gdynia ) (Gdynia Naval Base)
- 2nd Air Operations Coordination Center ( 2nd Center Koordynacji Operacji Powietrznych - Kraków )
- 4th Air Operations Coordination Center ( 4th Center Koordynacji Operacji Powietrznych - Szczecin )
- individual Polish military contingents ( Polskie Kontyngenty Wojskowe ( PKW )) after operations
General command
General Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych ( DG RSZ )) ( Warsaw )
- Air Force Inspectorate ( Sił Powietrznych Inspectorate )
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1st Tactical Air Wing ( 1st Skrzydło Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) ( Świdwin )
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12. Air base for unmanned aerial vehicles ( 12. Baza Bezzałogowych Statków Powietrznych ) ( Mirosławiec )
- Air Reconnaissance Department (
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12. Air base for unmanned aerial vehicles ( 12. Baza Bezzałogowych Statków Powietrznych ) ( Mirosławiec )
- Mini-UAV squadron ( Eskadra Mini-BSR , Orbiter UAV)
- UAV squadron ( Eskadra BSR , Aerostar UAV)
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1st Tactical Air Wing ( 1st Skrzydło Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) ( Świdwin )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- ( 8th Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - Su-22M4 / UM3K
- ( 40th Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - Su-22M4 / UM3K
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 41st Tactical Fliegerstaffel ( 41st Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - MiG-29 / UB (ex-Luftwaffe)
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 1st Tactical Squadron ( 1st Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - MiG-29 / UB
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
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31. Tactical Air Base ( 31. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) ( Poznań -Krzesiny)
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 3rd Tactical Squadron ( 3rd Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - F-16C / D Block-52 +
- 6th Tactical Squadron ( 6th Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - F-16C / D Block-52 +
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
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32nd Tactical Air Base ( 32nd Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) ( Łask )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 10th Tactical Squadron ( 10th Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego ) - F-16C / D Block-52 +
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 16th Jarocin Airfield Repair Battalion "Brigadier General Stanisław Taczak" ( 16th Jarociński Batalion Remontu Lotnisk in the gen. Bryg. Stanisława Taczaka ) ( Jarocin )
- Poznan Garrison Command ( Komenda Garnizonu - Poznań )
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1. Transport Air Base ( 1. Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego ) ( Warsaw )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- Helicopter Squadron ( Eskadra Śmigłowców ) - Wed-8S / T, PZL W-3P / WA Sokol
- Aviation maintenance group ( Grupa Obsługi Technicznej )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 8. Transport air base "Colonel Pilot Stanisław Jakub Skarżyńskie" ( 8th Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego im. Płk pil. Stanisława Jakuba Skarżyńskiego ) ( Kraków -Balice)
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33rd Air Transport Base ( 33rd Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego ) ( Powidz )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 14th Squadron ( 14th Eskadra Lotnicza ) - C-130E, PZL M-28TD
- 7th Special Operations Squadron ( 7th Eskadra Działań Specjalnych ) - Wed-24D, Wed-17-1V
- Aviation Technical Group ( Grupa Obsługi )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- Bydgoszcz Airport Command ( Komenda Obsługi Lotniska Bydgoszcz ) ( Bydgoszcz Airport )
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych )
- 1st Combat Search and Rescue Group ( 1st Grupa Poszukiwawczo-Ratownicza ) ( Świdwin ) - W-3RL Sokol
- 2nd Combat Search and Rescue Group ( 2nd Grupa Poszukiwawczo-Ratownicza ) ( Mińsk Mazowiecki ) - W-3RL Sokol
- 3rd Combat Search and Rescue Group ( 3rd Grupa Poszukiwawczo-Ratownicza ) ( Kraków -Balice) - Mi-8RL
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych ) - M-346A, PZL TS-11, PZL SW-4, Mi-2
- Aviation maintenance group (
- Aviation Group ( Grupa Działań Lotniczych ) - PZL-130TC-1 / TC-2, PZL M-28TD
- Aviation maintenance group ( Grupa Obsługi Technicznej )
- Support group ( Grupa Wsparcia )
- 38th Sochaczewski Support Department "Major Feliks Kozubowski" ( 38th Sochaczewski Dywizjon Zabezpieczenia OP im. Mjr Feliksa Kozubowskiego ) ( Sochaczew -Bielice)
- 32nd Wieliszewsk anti-aircraft guided missile department "Division General Gustaw Konstanty Orlicz-Dreszer" (
- 3rd Sandomiers Radiotechnical Battalion ( 3rd Sandomierski Batalion Radiotechniczny ) ( Sandomierz )
- 8th Lipowiec Radiotechnic Battalion ( 8th Szczycieński Batalion Radiotechniczny ) ( Lipowiec )
- 34th Lower Silesian Radio Technical Battalion ( 31st Dolnośląski Batalion Radiotechniczny ) ( Wrocław )
- 34th Chojnicki Radio Technical Battalion ( 34th Chojnicki Batalion Radiotechniczny ) ( Chojnice )
- Wroclaw Garrison Command ( Komenda Garnizonu Wrocław ) ( Wrocław )
- Higher Officers School of the LSK ( Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska Sił Powietrznych ) ( Dęblin )
- LSK NCO School ( Szkoła Podoficerska Sił Powietrznych ) ( Dęblin )
- Aeronautical training center ( Centrum Szkolenia Inżynieryjno-Lotniczego ) ( Dęblin )
- Training center of the LSK "Romuald Traugutt" ( Centrum Szkolenia Sił Powietrznych im. Romualda Traugutta ) ( Koszalin )
Aerobatic teams
Current aircraft
plane | photo | origin | Type | version | In service | Remarks |
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Warplanes | ||||||
Lockheed Martin F-16 Jastrząb | United States | Multipurpose fighter aircraft |
Total: F16C bl 52+ F16D bl 52+ |
48 36 12 |
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Lockheed Martin F-35 | United States | Stealth multipurpose fighter aircraft | F-35A | In January 2020, Poland ordered 32 aircraft | ||
MiG-29 | Soviet Union | Multipurpose fighter aircraft |
TOTAL: MiG-29A / G MiG-29UB / GT |
28 22 6 |
In 2004, 23 MiG-29A / G were originally given away to Poland by the Bundeswehr. The aircraft came from the former NVA. One machine was destroyed in a crash in 2018. | |
Sukhoi Su-22 | Soviet Union | bomber | Su-22M4K Su-22UM3K |
18th | ||
Transport aircraft | ||||||
CASA C-295M | Spain | Transport plane | C-295M | 18th | 1 crashed on January 24, 2008 |
|
C-130 Hercules | United States | Transport plane | C-130E | 5 | ||
PZL M28B Bryza | Poland | Liaison aircraft | Bryza M28B
Bryza M28PT / GC |
24 | ||
Training aircraft | ||||||
PZL TS-11 Iskra | Poland | Jet trainer | 37 | |||
PZL-130 Orlik | Poland | Trainer | TC-II Advanced | 28 | ||
Alenia Aermacchi M-346 | Italy | Trainer | 12/16 | Can also be used as a modern ground attack aircraft. Modernization of the first twelve and re-ordering of another four in December 2018. |
||
VIP aircraft | ||||||
Gulfstream 550 | United States | VIP | G550 | 2 | The unit price is just under 50 million US dollars. | |
Boeing 737 | United States | VIP | 737-800NG
737-BBJ2 |
1/3 | 3 aircraft were purchased, one in the 800-NG version and two BBJ2. The first was picked up in 2017, the rest should be delivered by November 2020 | |
PZL W-3 | Poland | VIP | W-3 Sokół | 7th | ||
Mil Wed-8 | Soviet Union | VIP | Mi-8S | 2 | Total loss of a Mi-8 on December 4, 2003 near Warsaw (Prime Minister Leszek Miller survived) | |
helicopter | ||||||
PZL SW-4 Puszczyk | Poland | Light helicopter | 24 | |||
PZL W-3 Sokół | Poland | Multipurpose helicopter | W-3T
W-3P W-3RL W-3WA W-3WA SAR |
17th | ||
Mil Wed-2 | Poland | Multipurpose helicopter | RL
P T D. R. URP-G Sz |
17th | ||
Mil Wed-8/17 |
Russia Soviet Union |
Transport helicopter | Wed-17-1W
Wed-8/17 RL Mi-8P / SAR Mi-8S Mi-8T / SAR |
12 | ||
S-70i | Poland | Multipurpose helicopter \
Special forces |
4th |
As part of the Strategic Airlift Capability Program, Poland and the other participating countries also operate three C-17 Globemaster IIIs that can be used for strategic military air transport.
bases
- 1 Baza Lotnicza - Warsaw
- 3 Baza Lotnicza - Wroclaw
- 6 Baza Lotnicza - Dęblin - Officers' College
- 8 Baza Lotnicza - Krakow
- 12 Baza Lotnicza - Mirosławiec
- 21 Baza Lotnicza - Świdwin
- 22 Baza Lotnicza - Malbork
- 23 Baza Lotnicza - Mińsk Mazowiecki
- 31 Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego - Poznań-Krzesiny , base of combat aircraft for retraining and ground attack (F-16), 3rd and 6th Squadron of the 2nd Tactical Air Wing
- 32 Baza Lotnicza - Łask , base of combat aircraft for QRA tasks (F-16), 10th squadron of the 2nd Tactical Air Squadron
- 33 Baza Lotnicza - Powidz , Air Transport Base (C-130), 14th Air Force, 7th Squadron Special Actions (7 Eskadra Działań Specjalnych)
- 43 Baza Lotnicza - Gdynia
- 44 Baza Lotnicza - Siemirowice
Web links
literature
- Jerzy B. Cynk:
- The Polish Air Force at War: The Official History Vol.1 1939-1943 (Schiffer Military History, 2004).
- The Polish Air Force at War: The Official History Vol.1 1943-1945 .
- Adam Zamoyski: The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War. 1995, ISBN 978-0781804219 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Podstawowe informacje o budżecie resortu obrony narodowej na 2010 rok. ( Memento from October 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Cajus Bekker : Attack height 4000 ; Janusz Piekałkiewicz : Air War over Europe ; Jerzy Cynk: Sily lotnicze Polski i Niemiec ; Dariusz Stefaniak: Own documents.
- ^ Kate Sarsfield: Poland selects Gulfstream G550 for VIP transport. In: Flightglobal.com. November 17, 2016, accessed on November 19, 2016 (English): "Gulfstream has secured an order from the Polish government for two G550 business jets to be used for VIP transport missions."
- ↑ Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów SIL Zbrojnych (General Command of the Armed Forces). Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej (Ministry of National Defense), accessed October 14, 2017 (Polish).
- ↑ Dowództwo operacyjne Rodzajów SIL Zbrojnych - Struktura (Operational Command of the Armed Forces - structure). Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych (Operational Command of the Armed Forces), accessed on October 14, 2017 (Polish).
- ^ Siły Powietrzne (Air Force). Consulting Service Sp. Z oo (domain registrar), accessed on October 14, 2017 (Polish).
- ↑ Germany is giving away MIG 29. Accessed on July 13, 2020 .
- ^ Ex-Luftwaffe MiG-29 crashed in Poland. Retrieved July 13, 2020 .
- ↑ WYPOSAŻENIA. Retrieved April 17, 2020 (Polish).
- ↑ Znamy harmonogram dostaw Orlikow TC-II Advanced - Defence24. Retrieved April 17, 2020 .
- ↑ WYPOSAŻENIA. Retrieved July 20, 2020 (Polish).
- ↑ Polskie samoloty Boeing BBJ2 po pierwszym odbiorze. Gotowość operacyjna w 2020 roku - Defense24. Retrieved July 20, 2020 .
- ↑ PZL W-3 Sokół w Wojsku Polskim. In: Gdzie zaczyna się wojsko… October 9, 2010, accessed on April 17, 2020 (pl-PL).
- ↑ Lista śmigłowców Wed-2 |. Retrieved April 17, 2020 (pl-PL).
- ↑ samolotypolskie.pl - Mil Mi-8 / Mi-9 / Mi-17 / Mi-171 / Mi-172 (zastosowanie i opis techniczny). Retrieved April 17, 2020 .
- ↑ Black Hawki dla Wojsk Specjalnych - daleko od docelowej configuracji? [COMMENTARY] - Defense24. Retrieved April 17, 2020 .