Polish Navy

Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
	; ; Coat of arms of the Polish Navy
Lineup	1918
Country	Poland
Armed forces	Polish armed forces
Type	Armed forces
structure	3. Flotilla of ships; 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla ; 1st Naval Aviation Brigade
Strength	14,300
headquarters	Gdynia
Wars	World War II ; Iraq War
management
Current ; commander	Admiral Tomasz Mathea
Important ; commanders	Admiral Jozef Unrug
insignia
Naval War Flag (Bandera);
Gösch ; (Proporzec)

Military flag at sea of the Polish Navy

Galleon Smok , the first Polish warship, built in 1572

The Navy of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ) is the naval force of Poland , which played a role especially in World War II .

history

Beginnings

Even in the Middle Ages there were some river ships that were supposed to protect trade. This fleet was only extended to the open sea in the 15th century when some Polish privateers defeated the Teutonic Order's fleet in 1463 . From 1601 controlled fleet is established, a part of the 1627 Swedish n fleet at convent Oliva defeated. The Polish partitions ended the existence of an independent Polish Navy.

The Duchy of Courland , which was part of the Polish kingdom, had its own navy, with which it was even able to build colonies on the Gambia River ( James Island ) and in America (see Courland colonial history ).

Navy of Independent Poland

The modern navy of independent Poland was established after the First World War . However, their scope was never particularly large due to financial restrictions, including the global economic crisis . In 1939 it consisted of five submarines , four destroyers and a few smaller vehicles. Józef Unrug (Joseph Freiherr von Unruh) was head of the Polish Navy from 1925 until the actual end of the navy's existence due to the defeat by Germany and the Soviet Union in autumn 1939 . The Polish Navy was able to partially get to safety at the beginning of the Second World War ; these ships then formed the core of the navy of the Polish government-in-exile and joined the Allies .

Role in World War II

Shortly before the outbreak of war three Polish destroyers were ORP Błyskawica , Burza and ORP Grom (the commander of the Polish Navy, while Józef Unrug , commanded Peking Plan ) to the UK expires. They were later joined by the submarines ORP Orzeł ("Adler") and ORP Wilk ("Wolf"), which had escaped the German Navy . Like the rest of the Polish armed forces, Józef Unrug was taken prisoner by Germany.

Since 1940 the new Polish Navy has been expanded. For this purpose ships were leased from the Royal Navy. In 1945 it consisted of 4,000 sailors on 15 ships (a light cruiser , six destroyers, three submarines and five speedboats ) with a total of over 18,000 tons . During the war, the Polish Navy deployed 27 ships (two cruisers, nine destroyers, five submarines and eleven speedboats).

Polish ships took part in numerous operations alongside the British and later also the American navy : In May 1940 in the Narvik region as part of the Weser exercise company and during the evacuation of British units from Dunkirk ( Operation Dynamo ); 1941 during the "Hunt for the German battleship Bismarck " ( Operation Rhine Exercise ); but above all in the Battle of the Atlantic , which lasted from 1940 to 1944, in escorting convoys to Murmansk and Malta ; 1944 on landing in Normandy . In total, they took part in 665 battles to protect 787 convoys , sank twelve enemy warships (including five submarines) and 41 other ships, and damaged 24 warships (including eight submarines). In addition, 36 Polish merchant ships, which were on the high seas when the war broke out in 1939 and together had around 117,000 GRT , supported the Allies in transports across the world's seas.

Warsaw Pact

Destroyer Warszawa II

After the war, the remaining ships returned to Poland, where they secured the Baltic Sea for the Warsaw Treaty Organization as part of the Navy of the People's Republic of Poland . In the event of war with NATO, it was planned that the Polish armed forces should occupy Danish islands such as Bornholm , which meant that the Polish Navy owned a considerable number of landing craft .

In 1989 the navy had four submarines, a destroyer of the Kashin Mod class ( ORP Warszawa ), a frigate , four corvettes , twelve guided missile boats , 62 patrol boats (some of which were also under the command of the Coast Guard ), 23 landing craft of the Polnocny class , 19 landing craft, 24 anti-mine ships and 21 auxiliary ships .

NATO

Since Poland joined NATO in 1999, the Polish Navy has participated in several NATO operations, such as Operation Active Endeavor , the Second and Third Gulf Wars . The Polish Navy originally ordered seven MEKO A-100 class corvettes , which are to be built at the naval shipyard in Gdynia. Due to the economic crisis , which reduced the armaments budget, the procurement project had to be reduced to two corvettes in 2012. The launch of the first ship, the ORP Ślązak ("Schlesier"), took place in 2015.

organization

The highest military authority in the Polish armed forces 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 Army 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 Land Operations reports.

Ministry of National Defense ( Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej (MON) ) ( Warsaw )

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) )
  - Navy Inspectorate (Inspectorate Marynarki Wojennej)
- Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych (DO RSZ) )
  - ( Centrum Operacji Morskich - Dowództwo komponentu Morskiego (COM - DKM) ) ( Gdynia naval base)

The naval 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 naval component for operations.

The naval headquarters are in Gdynia . The Armed forces are under two flotillas and naval aviation - Brigade .

Operations Command

Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces ( Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych (DO RSZ) )

Center for Sea Operations - Naval Component Command ( Centrum Operacji Morskich - Dowództwo komponentu Morskiego (COM - DKM) ) ( Gdynia Naval Base)
(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 )

Navy Inspectorate (Inspectorate Marynarki Wojennej)
- 3rd Flotilla
  "Kommodore Bolesław Romanowski" (3rd Flotylla Okrętów im. Kmdr Bolesława Romanowskiego) ( Gdynia Naval Base)
  - Reconnaissance Ship Group (Grupa Okrętów Rozpoznawczych)
    ( Gdynia Naval Base)
    2 ships for radio-electronic reconnaissance of project 863: ORP 262 "Nawigator" and ORP 263 "Hydrograph"
  - Naval Hydrographic Support Division (Dywizjon Zabezpieczenia Hydrograficznego MW) ( Gdynia Naval Base)
    
    2 hydrographic ships from Project 874: ORP 265 "Heweliusz" and ORP 266 "Arctowski"
    
    1 sailing training ship from project B79 / II: ORP 253 "Iskra"
    
    Hydrographic boat group (Grupa Kutrów i Motorówek) with K-4 and K-10; M-38, M-39 and M-40 hydrographic boats
  - Editorial Publishing House of the Navy (Zespół Redakcyjno-Wydawniczy MW) ( Gdynia Naval Base)

Gdynia baby

Siemirowice

Darlowo

Navy Airfield

Navy Heliport

- - 43rd Oksywska Baza Lotnictwa Morskiego im. Kmdr por. Edwarda Stanisława Szystowiskiego) ( Gdynia-Babie Doły
    Naval Air Base
    )
    
    Fliegergruppe (Grupa Lotnicza)
    4 M-28TD Bryza transport aircraft, 4 Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite anti-submarine helicopters, 6 W-3WA / RM Anaconda sea rescue helicopters, 2 Mi-2 training helicopters
    
    Aviation Technical Group (Grupa Techniczna)
    
    Support group (Grupa Wsparcia)
    
    (Wojskowy Port Lotniczy Gdynia Babie Doły)
  - 44th Kaszubsko-Darłowska Baza Lotnictwa Morskiego - Siemirowice and Darłowo
    
    ("Kaszubska" Grupa Lotnicza - Siemirowice)
    7 sea patrol and reconnaissance aircraft M-28B Bryza-1R, 1 sea patrol, reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft M-28B Bryza-1RM bis, 2 environmental surveillance aircraft M-28B Bryza-1E
    
    ("Darłowska" Grupa Lotnicza - Darłowo)
    8 submarine defense helicopters Mi-14PŁ, 2 sea rescue helicopters Mi-14PŁ / R, 2 sea rescue helicopters W-3RM Anaconda, 2 training helicopters Mi-2
    
    Aviation Technical Group (Grupa Techniczna)
    
    Support group (Grupa Wsparcia)
    
    Siemirowice Military Air Base (Wojskowy Port Lotniczy Siemirowice)
    
    Darłowo Military Airport (Wojskowy Port Lotniczy Darłowo)
- 6. Oliwischer Radioelectronic Point "Admiral Arendt Dickman" (6. Oliwski Ośrodek Radioelektroniczny im. Adm. Arendta Dickmana) ( Gdynia naval base)
Hydrographic Service under the Ministry of Defense:
- Hydrographic Office of the Navy (Biuro Hydrographiczne MW) ( Gdynia Naval Base)
Training institutions under the Ministry of Defense:
- Naval Academy " Heroes of Westerplatte " (Akademia Marynarki Wojennej im. Bohaterów Westerplatte) ( Gdynia Naval Base)
- Training Center of the Navy "Vice Admiral Józef Unrug" (Centrum Szkolenia Marynarki Wojennej im. Wiceadm. Józefa Unruga) ( Ustka )
  - Navy NCO School (Szkoła Podoficerska Marynarki Wojennej) ( Ustka )
  - Diver and deep diver training center "Kommodore Stanisław Mielczark" (Ośrodek Szkolenia Nurków i Płetwonurków Wojska Polskiego im. Kmdr Stanisława Mielczarka) ( Gdynia Naval Base)

equipment

fleet

Ship class	origin	Ships	Remarks
Combat units
Oliver-Hazard-Perry	United States United States	ORP Gen. K. Pułaski (272) ORP Gen. T. Kościuszko (273)	frigate
Project 620 (Kaszub class)	Poland Poland	ORP Kaszub (240)	corvette
MEKO A-100 (Gawron class)	Germany Germany / Poland Poland	ORP Ślązak (241)	Patrol boat
hurricane	Germany Germany / Poland Poland	ORP Hurricane (421) ORP Piorun (422) ORP Grom (423)	Speedboat
Submarines
Project 877E (Kilo class)	Soviet Union Soviet Union	ORP Orzeł (291)
Class 207 (Kobben Class)	Germany Germany	ORP Sęp (295) ORP Bielik (296)	Are used by two Swedish boats of Södermanland class to be replaced.
Anti-mine units
Project 258 (Cormorant 2 Class)	Poland Poland	ORP cormorant (601)	Two further units (ORP Albatros and ORP Mewa ) in equipment or under construction.
Project 206FM (Krogulec class)	Poland Poland	ORP Flaming (621) ORP Mewa (623) ORP Czajka (624)
Auxiliary ships
Project 767 (Lublin class)	Poland Poland	ORP Lublin (821) ORP Gniezno (822) ORP Kraków (823) ORP Poznań (824) ORP Toruń (825)	Mine layer and tank landing ship
Project 890	Poland Poland	ORP Kontradmirał Xawery Czernicki (511)	logistic support ship
Project 870 (Piast class)	Poland Poland	ORP Piast (281) ORP Lech (282)	Salvage ship
Project 888 (Wodnik class)	Poland Poland	ORP Vodnik (251)	Training ship
Project B79 / II	Poland Poland	ORP Iskra (253)	Sail training ship

Aircraft

As of the end of 2018

Aircraft	origin	use	version	active	Ordered	Remarks
Planes
PZL M-28 Skytruck	Poland Poland	Maritime patrol transport		9 5
helicopter
Leonardo AW101	Italy Italy / Poland Poland	Submarine Hunt (ASW) Search and Rescue (SAR)			4th	Should replace the Mil Mi-14 . There is an option to add four more machines.
Mil Wed-2	Soviet Union Soviet Union	Multipurpose helicopter		3
Mil Wed-8	Soviet Union Soviet Union	Multipurpose helicopter	Wed-8 Wed-17	2
Mil Wed-14	Soviet Union Soviet Union	Search and Rescue (SAR)		9		Should be replaced by the AW101 .
Kaman H-2	United States United States	Board helicopter	SH-2G	4th
PZL W-3 Sokół	Poland Poland	Multipurpose helicopter		7th

Ranks and Rank Badges

Officers

Rank group	Marshal	Flag officers				Staff officers			Subaltern officers
Shoulder pieces
Rank	Marszałek Polski	Admiral	Admirał floty	Wiceadmirał	Kontradmirał	Commander	Komandor porucznik	Komandor podporucznik	Kapitan marynarki	Porucznik marynarki	Podporucznik marynarki
Rank (Bundeswehr)	no equivalent	admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Flotilla admiral	Sea captain	Frigate captain	Corvette Captain	Lieutenant captain	First lieutenant at sea	Lieutenant at sea
NATO rank code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1

Ensigns, NCOs and men

Rank group	Ensigns (Chorąży)				NCOs					Teams
Shoulder pieces
Rank	Starszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki (Chief Ensign of the Sea)	Starszy chorąży marynarki (Chief Ensign of the Sea)	Chorąży marynarki (Ensign of the Sea)	Młodszy chorąży marynarki (Under Ensign of the Sea)	Starszy Bosman ( Chief Boatswain )	Bosman (boatswain)	Bosmanmat (boatswain's mate)	Starszy mat (chief mate)	Mat (mate)	Starszy marynarz ( chief seaman )	Marynarz (sailor)
Rank (Bundeswehr)	Chief of Staff		Staff Captain	Chief Boatswain		Captain / Boatswain	Chief Mate / Mate	Oberstabsgefreiter / Stabsgefreiter	Hauptgefreiter / Obergefreiter	Private	sailor
NATO rank code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7		OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1

literature

Rafał Korbat: Dzieje Wojska Polskiego . Ed .: Wydawnictwo Posiedlik-Raniowski i Spółka. Poznań 1990, ISBN 83-7083-634-8 .
Michael Alfred Peszke: Poland's Navy 1918–1945 . Ed .: Hippocrene Books Inc. New York 1999, ISBN 0-7818-0672-0 .

Web links

Commons : Polish Navy - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Official website (Polish, English)
The Polish Navy 1939–1947 (English)

Footnotes

↑ globaldefence.net: Poland: End of the “Gawron” project , accessed on April 10, 2012.
↑ Polish Navy: Christening of a new corvette (with photos of the ship before it was launched), accessed on April 12, 2016.
↑ 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).
↑ MARYNARKA WOJENNA , units of the Polish Navy (accessed October 14, 2017)
^ Remigiusz Wilk: Poland eyes second-hand Swedish submarine acquisition. Jane's Information Group , December 6, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
^ Poland launches second Kormoran II-class minehunter. In: navaltoday.com. October 14, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
↑ World Air Force 2019. Flight International , December 8, 2018, accessed January 12, 2019 .
^ Gareth Jennings: Poland signs for AW101 helicopters. In: Jane's Information Group . April 28, 2019, accessed May 2, 2019 .

[1] .net: Poland: End of the “Gawron” project , accessed on April 10, 2012.

[2] Polish Navy: Christening of a new corvette (with photos of the ship before it was launched), accessed on April 12, 2016.

[3] Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów SIL Zbrojnych (General Command of the Armed Forces). Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej (Ministry of National Defense), accessed October 14, 2017 (Polish).

[4] 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).

[5] MARYNARKA WOJENNA , units of the Polish Navy (accessed October 14, 2017)

[6] Remigiusz Wilk: Poland eyes second-hand Swedish submarine acquisition. Jane's Information Group , December 6, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .

[7] Poland launches second Kormoran II-class minehunter. In: navaltoday.com. October 14, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .

[8] World Air Force 2019. Flight International , December 8, 2018, accessed January 12, 2019 .

[9] Gareth Jennings: Poland signs for AW101 helicopters. In: Jane's Information Group . April 28, 2019, accessed May 2, 2019 .

Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Coat of arms of the Polish Navy
Lineup	1918
Country	Poland Poland
Armed forces	Polish armed forces
Type	Armed forces
structure	3. Flotilla of ships 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla 1st Naval Aviation Brigade
Strength	14,300
headquarters	Gdynia
Wars	World War II Iraq War
management
Current commander	Admiral Tomasz Mathea
Important commanders	Admiral Jozef Unrug
insignia
Naval War Flag (Bandera)
Gösch (Proporzec)