Polish Armed Forces
Encyclopedia
Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ("Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland", abbreviated SZ RP; popularly, Wojsko Polskie, abbreviated WP—roughly, the "Polish Military") are the national defense forces
of Poland
. The name has been used since the early nineteenth century, but can also be applied to earlier periods.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland are the Army
(Wojska Lądowe RP), Navy
(Marynarka Wojenna RP), Air Force
(Siły Powietrzne RP) and Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne RP) and are under the command of the Ministry of National Defense (Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej).
As of 2009, Poland has the world's twenty-first highest level of military expenditure, according to SIPRI
. Polish soldiers have been deployed to Iraq
and Afghanistan
, and 23 Polish soldiers were killed in Iraq between the invasion of 2003 and Poland's withdrawal in 2008.
main strategic goals in the area of defence include:
The List of Polish wars chronicles Polish military involvement since 972, but the present armed forces trace their roots to the early twentieth century. Yet the history of Polish armed forces in their broadest sense stretches back much further. After the partitions of Poland
, during the period from 1795 until 1918, Polish military was recreated several times in Poland during uprisings like the November Uprising
of 1830 and the January Uprising
in 1863, and outside Poland like during Napoleon Bonaparte wars (Polish Legions in Italy
). The Kingdom of Poland
, ruled by the Russian Tsar with a certain degree of autonomy, had a separate Polish army in the years 1815-1830 which was disbanded after the unsuccessful insurrection. Large numbers of Poles also served in the armies of the partitioning powers, Russia
, Austria-Hungary
(before 1867 Austria) and Germany
(before 1871 Prussia). However, these powers took care to spread Polish soldiers all over their armies and as a rule did not form predominantly Polish units.
During World War I
, the Polish Legion
s were set up in Galicia, the southern part of Poland under Austrian occupation. They were both disbanded after the Central Powers
failed to provide guarantees of Polish independence after the war. General Józef Haller
, the commander of the Second Brigade of the Polish Legion, switched sides in late 1917, and via Murmansk
took part of his troops to France
, where he created the Blue Army. It was joined by several thousand Polish volunteers from the United States
. It fought valiantly on the French front in 1917 and 1918.
The Polish Army was recreated in 1918 from elements of the three separate Russia
n, Austro-Hungarian
, and Prussia
n armies, and armed with equipment left following World War I
. The force expanded during the Polish-Soviet War
of 1919–1922 to nearly 800,000 men, but then was reduced when peace was reestablished.
During the Second World War, on 1 September 1939 the force was nearly one million men strong, but was overwhelmed by the German attack in September 1939, which was followed on 17 September 1939 by an invasion by the Soviet Union
. Some Polish forces escaped from their occupied, divided country, and joined Allied forces fighting in other theatres while those that remained in Poland splintered into guerilla units of the Armia Krajowa
("Home Army") and other partisan groups
which fought in clandestine ways against the foreign occupiers of Poland. Thus there were three threads to Polish armed forces from 1939; the Polish Armed Forces in the West
, the Armia Krajowa and other resistance organisations fighting the Germans in Poland, and the Polish Armed Forces in the East
, which later became the post-war communist Polish Armed Forces (LWP).
The Polish Armed Forces in the West comprised army, navy, and air force units, and were loyal to the Polish government-in-exile. Army formations and units included the Polish Army in France (1939-1940)
, the Polish I Corps in the West
, the Polish II Corps
, and the rump Command in the Middle East that was briefly designated the III Corps. Amongst their most notable operations were the actions of the 1st Armoured Division
at Mont Ormel
, during the Normandy campaign
, the Battle of Monte Cassino
(Operation Diadem) scaling of the mountain by elements of II Polish Corps, and actions during the Battle of Arnhem
by the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade. The Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain
numbered fifteen squadrons under Royal Air Force
and Army Air Corps operational control, as well as units under the direction of the French Air Force
.
The Polish Air Force
fought in the Battle of France
as one fighter squadron (GC 1/145), several small units detached to French squadrons, and numerous industry defence flights (approximately 130 pilots, who achieved 55 victories at a loss of 15 men). Naval units comprised three destroyers of the Polish Navy
that had escaped from Poland under the Peking Plan
to fight alongside the Western allies from Britain, as well as many other vessels that later came to be manned by Polish crews under Royal Navy
auspices. These vessels included the cruisers ORP Dragon and Conrad, seven destroyers, three Type II Hunt class destroyer
s, and five submarines.
What later became the communist LWP was formed during the Second World War as the Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division
, also unofficially known as the Berling Army. The majority of officers were Polish. It was not the only Polish formation that fought along the Allied side, nor the first one in the East - although the first Polish force formed in the USSR, the Anders Army
, had by that time moved to Iran
. Polish forces soon grew beyond the 1st Division into two major commands - the Polish First Army
(Berling
's) and the Polish Second Army
(commanded by Karol Świerczewski
). The Polish First Army participated in the Vistula–Oder Offensive and the Battle of Kolberg (1945) before participating in it's final offensive with the Battle of Berlin
. The Polish Second Army served under command of the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front in 1945 and fought in the vicinity of Bautzen
and Dresden. In the east these two armies were supported at times by Polish air units, part of the Air Force of the Polish Army
.
The communist-aligned Polish military formation was the People's Army of Poland, formed in the Soviet Union
and partially integrated with Red Army
formations. It became the core of the armed forces of post-war Poland. It was known officially as the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland from 1945 to 1952 (the same as the current name), and Armed Forces of People's Republic of Poland from 1952 to 1990, reflecting the country's name change from Republic of Poland to People's Republic of Poland
.
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The first postwar Minister of National Defence was Michał Rola-Żymierski, promoted by Stalin's order to the rank of Marshal of Poland on 3 May 1945. However, Michta writes that while the 'army was formally under Zymierski's command until 1949, it was in reality controlled by ..two Soviet officers, Generals Korczyc and Poplawski
.' From 1949 to 1956 the Polish armed forces were under the command of Zymierski's successor as Minister of National Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union
Konstantin Rokossovsky
, who was given the additional title Marshal of Poland
. Rokossovsky was succeeded by Marian Spychalski
, who was released from prison to take the post. The People's Army of Poland was prepared to defend the country against a possible new invasion from the West (based on the plan by Stefan Mossor
). It was increasingly tied into the Soviet structures. This process was however stopped in the aftermath of the Polish October
in 1956, however, and brigades began to be formed in the engineering and artillery arms.
After the war the Polish Army was reorganized into six (later seven) military district
s. These were the Warsaw Military District, headquarters (HQ) in Warsaw, the Lublin Military District, HQ in Lublin, the Krakow Military District, HQ in Krakow, the Lodz Military District, HQ in Lodz, the Poznan Military District, HQ in Poznan, the Pomeranian Military District
, HQ in Torun, and the Silesian Military District
, HQ in Katowice
, created in autumn 1945. They were later reduced to four, then three and later into the two military districts active as of 2011.
Until the fall of communism the army's prestige continued to fall, as it was used by the communist government to violently suppress opposition several time, during the Poznań 1956 protests
, the Polish 1970 protests
, and during Martial law in Poland
in 1981-1982. The LWP also took part in the suppressing of the 1968 democratization process of Czechoslovakia, commonly known as the Prague Spring
. That same year Marshal Spychalski was asked to replace Edward Ochab
as chairman of the Council of State
, and General Wojciech Jaruzelski
, at that time the Chief of the General Staff, was named to replace him.
Michta argues that Jaruzelski, as a known Soviet loyalist, reflected the Soviet decision to 'put a trusted group of officers in control of one of the least trusted armies in the Warsaw Pact forces.' The command post for the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia was actually located on Polish soil, at Marshal
Ivan Yakubovsky's Legnica
headquarters.
In 1953 Poland began to make contributions to peacekeeping operations, initially the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission
on the North Korean/South Korean border. Poland has maintained for decades a long-standing commitment to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(500 personnel). The Polish Armed Forces took part in the United Nations-sanctioned coalition during the Gulf War
in 1991, deploying two ships, the Piast and Wodnik, and a medical team (see :pl:PKW Zatoka Perska (1991)). In 1994-95 53 GROM
special forces personnel were despatched to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy
.
After January 1990 the name of the armed forces was changed to 'Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland,' to accord with the Polish State's new official name.
In March 2003 the Polish Armed Forces took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, deploying special forces and a support ship (see :pl:PKW Zatoka Perska (2003)). Following the destruction of Saddam's regime the Polish Land Forces
supplied a brigade and a division headquarters for the 17-nation Multinational Division Central-South
, part of the U.S.-led Multi-National Force Iraq. At its peak Poland had 2,500 soldiers in the south of the country. Other completed operations include 2005 'Swift Relief' in Pakistan, in which NATO Response Force
-allocated personnel were despatched. Polish Land Forces
personnel sent to Pakistan included a Military Engineers company, a platoon of the 1st Special Commando Regiment
, and a logistics component from the 10th Logistics Brigade. Elsewhere, Polish forces were sent to MINURCAT in Chad and the Central African Republic
(2007-2010). As of 2008, Poland had deployed 985 personnel in eight separarate UN peacekeeping operations (the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, MINURSO, MONUC, UNOCI, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, and UNOMIG).
Formerly organised according to Warsaw Pact
standards, the armed forces are currently being re-organised according to NATO standards. 'Eagle Guardian' is apparently the NATO planning designation for contingency plans to deploy and defend Poland and the Baltic States
. Poland is also playing an increasingly larger role as a major European peacekeeping power in the world through various UN peacekeeping actions, and cooperation with neighbouring nations through multinational formations and units such as the Multinational Corps Northeast and POLUKRBAT. As of 1 January 2010, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland have transitioned to a completely contract-based manpower supply system.
On 10 April 2010 a Polish Air Force Tu-154 crashed
near Smolensk, Russia while in transit to a ceremony commemorating the Katyn massacre
. On board the plane were the President (Commander-in-Chief), the Chief of Staff, all four Branch Commanders of the Polish Military, and a number of other military officials; all were killed. However, the Minster of Defense stayed in Warsaw, avoiding the crash in the process.
, 200 personnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina
with EUFOR Althea
, 288 personnel in Kosovo
as part of KFOR
's Multi-National Group-East (MNBG-E), a rotational deployment for the NATO Baltic Air Policing
operation in Lithuania carrying out Quick Reaction Alert duties with approximately 100 personnel and four air defence fighters, and periodic commitments with Standing NRF Maritime Group 1
in the Atlantic Ocean
and with Operation Active Endeavour
in the Mediterranean Sea
.
personnel. If needed, a further 240,000 personnel can be mobilized. Troop strength in the four different branches was in 2010, as followed:
All four branches are being reinforced and supported by:
In addition, the Polish Armed Forces employ around 46,000 civilians which are split through all branches of the military. In 2010 the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland
announced its intention about reducing its number by around 10% until 2012
aircraft, VIP transport aircraft, attack helicopters, a submarine and self-propelled howitzers. However, predictions suggest that the budget might not cope with the need to replace ageing equipment, since several programs such as acqcuisition of two air-to-air refueling tankers, 50 transport helicoters or seven multirole corvettes have been already postponed or completely cancelled. Recent and ongoing modernisation projects include:
. The salute is performed with the middle and index fingers extended and touching each other, while the ring and little fingers are bent and touched by the thumb. The tips of the middle and index fingers touch the peak of the cap, two fingers supposedly meaning honour and fatherland (Honor i Ojczyzna).
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The name has been used since the early nineteenth century, but can also be applied to earlier periods.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland are the Army
Polish Land Forces
The Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:...
(Wojska Lądowe RP), Navy
Polish Navy
The Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
(Marynarka Wojenna RP), Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
(Siły Powietrzne RP) and Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne RP) and are under the command of the Ministry of National Defense (Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej).
As of 2009, Poland has the world's twenty-first highest level of military expenditure, according to SIPRI
SIPRI
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament...
. Polish soldiers have been deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and 23 Polish soldiers were killed in Iraq between the invasion of 2003 and Poland's withdrawal in 2008.
Mission
Pursuant to the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Poland, the supreme strategic goal of the Republic of Poland is to ensure favourable and secure conditions for the realization of national interests by eliminating external and internal threats, reducing risks and rightly assessing undertaken challenges and ably using existing opportunities. The Republic of Poland’smain strategic goals in the area of defence include:
- ensuring independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Poland, its integrality and inviolability of its borders;
- defence and protection of all the citizens of the Republic of Poland;
- creating conditions to ensure continuity of implementation of functions by public administration authorities and other entities competent in the area of national security, including entities responsible for running the economy and for other areas important for the life and security of its citizens;
- creating conditions for improvement of the state’s defence capabilities and ensuring defence readiness in the national and Allied structures;
- developing partnership military cooperation with other states, especially neighbouring ones;
- implementing commitments arising from Poland’s NATO and European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
membership; - engagement in international crisis response operations led by NATO and the EU in the first place, as well as by the UN or as part of emergency coalitions.
History
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
, during the period from 1795 until 1918, Polish military was recreated several times in Poland during uprisings like the November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
of 1830 and the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
in 1863, and outside Poland like during Napoleon Bonaparte wars (Polish Legions in Italy
Polish Legions in Italy
The Polish Legions, in the Napoleonic period, were several Polish military units that served with the French Army from the 1790s to the 1810s....
). The Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, ruled by the Russian Tsar with a certain degree of autonomy, had a separate Polish army in the years 1815-1830 which was disbanded after the unsuccessful insurrection. Large numbers of Poles also served in the armies of the partitioning powers, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(before 1867 Austria) and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(before 1871 Prussia). However, these powers took care to spread Polish soldiers all over their armies and as a rule did not form predominantly Polish units.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Polish Legion
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
s were set up in Galicia, the southern part of Poland under Austrian occupation. They were both disbanded after the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
failed to provide guarantees of Polish independence after the war. General Józef Haller
Józef Haller de Hallenburg
Józef Haller de Hallenburg was a Lieutenant General of the Polish Army, legionary in Polish Legions, harcmistrz , the President of The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association , political and social activist, Stanisław Haller de Hallenburg's cousin.Haller was born in Jurczyce...
, the commander of the Second Brigade of the Polish Legion, switched sides in late 1917, and via Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
took part of his troops to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he created the Blue Army. It was joined by several thousand Polish volunteers from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It fought valiantly on the French front in 1917 and 1918.
The Polish Army was recreated in 1918 from elements of the three separate Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n, Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, and Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n armies, and armed with equipment left following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The force expanded during the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
of 1919–1922 to nearly 800,000 men, but then was reduced when peace was reestablished.
Second World War
Soviet invasion of Poland
Soviet invasion of Poland can refer to:* the second phase of the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 when Soviet armies marched on Warsaw, Poland* Soviet invasion of Poland of 1939 when Soviet Union allied with Nazi Germany attacked Second Polish Republic...
. Some Polish forces escaped from their occupied, divided country, and joined Allied forces fighting in other theatres while those that remained in Poland splintered into guerilla units of the Armia Krajowa
Armia Krajowa
The Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
("Home Army") and other partisan groups
Polish resistance movement in World War II
The Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
which fought in clandestine ways against the foreign occupiers of Poland. Thus there were three threads to Polish armed forces from 1939; the Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
, the Armia Krajowa and other resistance organisations fighting the Germans in Poland, and the Polish Armed Forces in the East
Polish Armed Forces in the East
Polish Armed Forces in the East refers to military units composed of Poles created in the Soviet Union at the time when the territory of Poland was occupied by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the Second World War....
, which later became the post-war communist Polish Armed Forces (LWP).
The Polish Armed Forces in the West comprised army, navy, and air force units, and were loyal to the Polish government-in-exile. Army formations and units included the Polish Army in France (1939-1940)
Polish Army in France (1939-1940)
The Polish Army in France formed in France under the command of General Władysław Sikorski in late 1939, after the fall of Poland resulting from the Polish Defensive War...
, the Polish I Corps in the West
Polish I Corps in the West
The Polish I Corps was a tactical unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II.-Formation:It was formed in the United Kingdom on 28 September 1940. It was subordinate to the Scottish Command, and the Corps HQ was located in Edinburgh...
, the Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
, and the rump Command in the Middle East that was briefly designated the III Corps. Amongst their most notable operations were the actions of the 1st Armoured Division
1st Armoured Division
1st Armoured Division can refer to*1st Armoured Division *1st Armored Division *1st Armoured Division *1st Armoured Division *1st Armoured Division *1st Armoured Division...
at Mont Ormel
Hill 262
Hill 262, or the Mont Ormel ridge , is an area of high ground above the village of Coudehard in Normandy that was the location of a bloody engagement in the final stages of the Normandy Campaign during the Second World War. By late summer 1944, the bulk of two German armies had become surrounded by...
, during the Normandy campaign
Normandy Campaign
The Battle of Normandy or Normandy Campaign includes the following:* Operation Overlord - The Western Allied campaign in France from June 6 - August 25, 1944...
, the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
(Operation Diadem) scaling of the mountain by elements of II Polish Corps, and actions during the Battle of Arnhem
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
by the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade. The Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain
Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain
The Polish Air Forces was a name of Polish Air Forces formed in France and the United Kingdom during World War II. The core of the Polish air units fighting alongside the allies were experienced veterans of Invasion of Poland of 1939 and they contributed to Allied victory in the Battle of Britain...
numbered fifteen squadrons under Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and Army Air Corps operational control, as well as units under the direction of the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
.
The Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
fought in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
as one fighter squadron (GC 1/145), several small units detached to French squadrons, and numerous industry defence flights (approximately 130 pilots, who achieved 55 victories at a loss of 15 men). Naval units comprised three destroyers of the Polish Navy
Polish Navy
The Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
that had escaped from Poland under the Peking Plan
Peking Plan
The Peking PlanThe "Peking" in the name is the traditional English spelling of the former name of the city that is now the capital of China, which is now spelled in the pinyin system 'Beijing'. At the time, the city was not the capital, and its name was Peiping. Before the Second World War in the...
to fight alongside the Western allies from Britain, as well as many other vessels that later came to be manned by Polish crews under Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
auspices. These vessels included the cruisers ORP Dragon and Conrad, seven destroyers, three Type II Hunt class destroyer
Hunt class destroyer
The Hunt class was a class of Destroyer escort of the Royal Navy. The first vessels were ordered early in 1939, and the class saw extensive service in World War II, particularly on the British East Coast and Mediterranean convoys. They were named after British fox hunts...
s, and five submarines.
What later became the communist LWP was formed during the Second World War as the Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division
Polish 1st Tadeusz Kosciuszko Infantry Division
The Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Soviet-organized Polish armed forces formed in 1943 and named for the Polish and American revolutionary Tadeusz Kościuszko...
, also unofficially known as the Berling Army. The majority of officers were Polish. It was not the only Polish formation that fought along the Allied side, nor the first one in the East - although the first Polish force formed in the USSR, the Anders Army
Anders Army
The Anders Army was the informal yet common name of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in the period 1941-1942, in recognition of its commander Władysław Anders...
, had by that time moved to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Polish forces soon grew beyond the 1st Division into two major commands - the Polish First Army
First Polish Army (1944-1945)
The Polish First Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union in 1944, from the previously existing Polish I Corps as part of the People's Army of Poland . The First Army fought westward, subordinated to the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, during the offensive against Germany that led to...
(Berling
Zygmunt Berling
Zygmunt Henryk Berling was a Polish general and politician. He fought for the independence of Poland in the early 20th century. During Second World War he was sentenced to death in absentia for desertion from the Polish Army of General Władysław Anders...
's) and the Polish Second Army
Polish Second Army
The Polish Second Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union in 1944 as part of the People's Army of Poland. The organization begun in August under the command of generals Karol Świerczewski and Stanislav Poplavsky, and the formation under command of general Świerczewski entered active...
(commanded by Karol Świerczewski
Karol Swierczewski
Karol Wacław Świerczewski was a Pole who became a Soviet military officer and a general. He served as a general in the service of the Soviet Union, Republican Spain, and the Soviet sponsored Polish Provisional Government of National Unity after World War II.- Life :Karol Świerczewski grew up in...
). The Polish First Army participated in the Vistula–Oder Offensive and the Battle of Kolberg (1945) before participating in it's final offensive with the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
. The Polish Second Army served under command of the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front in 1945 and fought in the vicinity of Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen (1945)
The Battle of Bautzen was one of the last battles of the Eastern Front in World War II. It was fought on the extreme southern flank of the Spremberg–Torgau Offensive, seeing days of pitched street fighting between forces of the 2nd Polish Army and elements of the Soviet's 52nd Army and 5th Guards...
and Dresden. In the east these two armies were supported at times by Polish air units, part of the Air Force of the Polish Army
Air Force of the Polish Army
The Air Force of the Polish Army , unofficially known as the People's Polish Air Force was the name of the Soviet-controlled Polish Air Force in the USSR between 1943 and 1947 created alongside the Polish People's Army , a subordinate to the Red Army...
.
The communist-aligned Polish military formation was the People's Army of Poland, formed in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and partially integrated with Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
formations. It became the core of the armed forces of post-war Poland. It was known officially as the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland from 1945 to 1952 (the same as the current name), and Armed Forces of People's Republic of Poland from 1952 to 1990, reflecting the country's name change from Republic of Poland to People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
.
After 1945
Stanislav Poplavsky
Stanislav Gilyarovich Poplavsky was a general in the Soviet and Polish armies.-Biography:He was born in Imperial Russia, in the vicinity of Kiev. His family was ethnically Polish, and in his younger years he considered himself a Pole...
.' From 1949 to 1956 the Polish armed forces were under the command of Zymierski's successor as Minister of National Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
Konstantin Rokossovsky
Konstantin Rokossovsky
Konstantin Rokossovskiy was a Polish-origin Soviet career officer who was a Marshal of the Soviet Union, as well as Marshal of Poland and Polish Defence Minister, who was famously known for his service in the Eastern Front, where he received high esteem for his outstanding military skill...
, who was given the additional title Marshal of Poland
Marshal of Poland
Marshal of Poland is the highest rank in the Polish Army. It has been granted to only six officers. At present, this rank is equivalent to a Field Marshal or General of the Army in other NATO armies.-History:...
. Rokossovsky was succeeded by Marian Spychalski
Marian Spychalski
Marian "Marek" Spychalski was a Polish architect, military commander, and communist politician.Born to a working-class family in Łódź, he graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology in 1931...
, who was released from prison to take the post. The People's Army of Poland was prepared to defend the country against a possible new invasion from the West (based on the plan by Stefan Mossor
Stefan Mossor
Stefan Mossor was a Polish general. Member of the Polish Legions. In the Second Polish Republic he reached the rank of the colonel. Taken prisoner by the Germans during the invasion of Poland. Joined the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie after the war; was involved in the Operation Vistula...
). It was increasingly tied into the Soviet structures. This process was however stopped in the aftermath of the Polish October
Polish October
Polish October, also known as October 1956, Polish thaw, or Gomułka's thaw, marked a change in the Polish internal political scene in the second half of 1956...
in 1956, however, and brigades began to be formed in the engineering and artillery arms.
After the war the Polish Army was reorganized into six (later seven) military district
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
s. These were the Warsaw Military District, headquarters (HQ) in Warsaw, the Lublin Military District, HQ in Lublin, the Krakow Military District, HQ in Krakow, the Lodz Military District, HQ in Lodz, the Poznan Military District, HQ in Poznan, the Pomeranian Military District
Pomeranian Military District
The Pomeranian Military District was a military district of the Polish Armed Forces from 1945 to 2011. Formally it was subordinate to the Minister of National Defence in the operational matters of defense and detached government administration...
, HQ in Torun, and the Silesian Military District
Silesian Military District
Silesian Military District with its headquarters in Wrocław is one of two current military districts in Poland ....
, HQ in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, created in autumn 1945. They were later reduced to four, then three and later into the two military districts active as of 2011.
Until the fall of communism the army's prestige continued to fall, as it was used by the communist government to violently suppress opposition several time, during the Poznań 1956 protests
Poznan 1956 protests
The Poznań 1956 protests, also known as Poznań 1956 uprising or Poznań June , were the first of several massive protests of the Polish people against the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland...
, the Polish 1970 protests
Polish 1970 protests
The Polish 1970 protests were protests that occurred in northern Poland in December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase of prices of food and other everyday items...
, and during Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in 1981-1982. The LWP also took part in the suppressing of the 1968 democratization process of Czechoslovakia, commonly known as the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. That same year Marshal Spychalski was asked to replace Edward Ochab
Edward Ochab
Edward Ochab was a Polish Communist politician promoted to the position of the First Secretary of the Communist party in the People's Republic of Poland between 20 March and 21 October 1956, just prior to the Gomułka thaw...
as chairman of the Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
, and General Wojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski is a retired Polish military officer and Communist politician. He was the last Communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985 and the country's head of state from 1985 to 1990. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's...
, at that time the Chief of the General Staff, was named to replace him.
Michta argues that Jaruzelski, as a known Soviet loyalist, reflected the Soviet decision to 'put a trusted group of officers in control of one of the least trusted armies in the Warsaw Pact forces.' The command post for the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia was actually located on Polish soil, at Marshal
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
Ivan Yakubovsky's Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
headquarters.
In 1953 Poland began to make contributions to peacekeeping operations, initially the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission
Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission
The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission was established by the Korean Armistice Agreement signed July 27, 1953, ending the Korean War...
on the North Korean/South Korean border. Poland has maintained for decades a long-standing commitment to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security,...
(500 personnel). The Polish Armed Forces took part in the United Nations-sanctioned coalition during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991, deploying two ships, the Piast and Wodnik, and a medical team (see :pl:PKW Zatoka Perska (1991)). In 1994-95 53 GROM
GROM
GROM is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990...
special forces personnel were despatched to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
.
After January 1990 the name of the armed forces was changed to 'Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland,' to accord with the Polish State's new official name.
In March 2003 the Polish Armed Forces took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, deploying special forces and a support ship (see :pl:PKW Zatoka Perska (2003)). Following the destruction of Saddam's regime the Polish Land Forces
Polish Land Forces
The Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:...
supplied a brigade and a division headquarters for the 17-nation Multinational Division Central-South
Multinational Division Central-South
Multinational Division Central-South , created in September 2003, and supported by NATO, was a part of the Multinational Force Iraq. Headquartered in Camp Echo, it was under Polish command until October 2008, when the last of Poland's troops were withdrawn. Polish contingent was its largest...
, part of the U.S.-led Multi-National Force Iraq. At its peak Poland had 2,500 soldiers in the south of the country. Other completed operations include 2005 'Swift Relief' in Pakistan, in which NATO Response Force
NATO Response Force
The NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
-allocated personnel were despatched. Polish Land Forces
Polish Land Forces
The Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:...
personnel sent to Pakistan included a Military Engineers company, a platoon of the 1st Special Commando Regiment
1st Special Commando Regiment
The 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, 1 PSK is one of the three special operations forces currently operating within the Polish military's structure, Special Forces of Poland....
, and a logistics component from the 10th Logistics Brigade. Elsewhere, Polish forces were sent to MINURCAT in Chad and the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
(2007-2010). As of 2008, Poland had deployed 985 personnel in eight separarate UN peacekeeping operations (the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, MINURSO, MONUC, UNOCI, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, and UNOMIG).
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
standards, the armed forces are currently being re-organised according to NATO standards. 'Eagle Guardian' is apparently the NATO planning designation for contingency plans to deploy and defend Poland and the Baltic States
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
. Poland is also playing an increasingly larger role as a major European peacekeeping power in the world through various UN peacekeeping actions, and cooperation with neighbouring nations through multinational formations and units such as the Multinational Corps Northeast and POLUKRBAT. As of 1 January 2010, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland have transitioned to a completely contract-based manpower supply system.
On 10 April 2010 a Polish Air Force Tu-154 crashed
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
near Smolensk, Russia while in transit to a ceremony commemorating the Katyn massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
. On board the plane were the President (Commander-in-Chief), the Chief of Staff, all four Branch Commanders of the Polish Military, and a number of other military officials; all were killed. However, the Minster of Defense stayed in Warsaw, avoiding the crash in the process.
Current operations
Currently Poland has 2600 personnel and 13 helicopters in Afghanistan with the International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
, 200 personnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
with EUFOR Althea
EUFOR Althea
European Union Force Althea is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement. It is the successor to NATO's SFOR and IFOR. The transition from SFOR to EUFOR was largely a change of name and commanders: 80% of the troops remained in...
, 288 personnel in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
as part of KFOR
KFOR
The Kosovo Force is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244...
's Multi-National Group-East (MNBG-E), a rotational deployment for the NATO Baltic Air Policing
Baltic Air Policing
The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.-Mission:...
operation in Lithuania carrying out Quick Reaction Alert duties with approximately 100 personnel and four air defence fighters, and periodic commitments with Standing NRF Maritime Group 1
Standing NRF Maritime Group 1
Standing NATO Maritime Group One is one of NATO's standing maritime Immediate Reaction Forces. Prior to 1 January 2005 it was known as Standing Naval Force Atlantic...
in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and with Operation Active Endeavour
Operation Active Endeavour
Operation Active Endeavour is a maritime operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It operates in the Mediterranean Sea and is designed to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. It has also collateral benefits in enhanced security of shipping in general...
in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
Organisation
The Polish Armed Forces consist of 100,300 active duty and 20,000 active reserveMilitary reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
personnel. If needed, a further 240,000 personnel can be mobilized. Troop strength in the four different branches was in 2010, as followed:
- Polish Land ForcesPolish Land ForcesThe Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:...
: 68,704 (three divisions; 11th Armoured Cavalry Division11th Armoured Cavalry Division- Bibliography :* Wiesław Chłopek, 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej im. Króla Jana III Sobieskiego. Zarys dziejów, Wydawnictwo "Chroma", Żary 2005, wyd. I, ISBN 83-922412-3-1...
, 12th Mechanised Division, 16th Mechanised Division, with 1st "Warsaw" Mechanised Division1st Mechanised Division (Poland)The 1st "Warsaw" Mechanised Division was a mechanized infantry formation of the Polish Land Forces that existed from 1955 until September 1, 2011. During this entire period, the division was headquartered in Legionowo...
having disbanding on September 1, 2011).
- Polish Air ForcePolish Air ForceThe Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
: 29,126
- Polish NavyPolish NavyThe Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
: 12,102 (The force comprised the 3rd Ship Flotilla3rd Ship Flotilla3rd Ship Flotilla is a tactical unit of Polish Navy composed of 11 sub-units. The unit is a main strike force of Polish Navy, it operates various warships types such as frigates, corvettes, submarines or fast attack crafts...
(based at GdyniaGdyniaGdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
), the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla8th Coastal Defence Flotillathe 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla is a one of three tactical unit of the Polish Navy composed of 5 main sub-units. The 8th CDF was established in 1965.In 1994 it was named after vice-admiral Kazimierz PORĘBSKI. Flotilla consist of two ships squadrons, 2 ashore units, supported by Naval Base...
(based at ŚwinoujścieSwinoujscieŚwinoujście is a city and seaport on the Baltic Sea and Szczecin Lagoon, located in the extreme north-west of Poland. It is situated mainly on the islands of Uznam and Wolin, but also occupies smaller islands, of which the largest is Karsibór island, once part of Usedom, now separated by a Piast...
) and the 1st Naval Aviation Brigade (based at Gdynia).)
- Polish Special Forces: 1,700
All four branches are being reinforced and supported by:
- Military infrastructureInfrastructureInfrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
: 43,768 (Reprsenting 39,8% of the entire active duty personnel), it includes:- Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of PolandMinistry of National Defence of the Republic of PolandMinistry of National Defence is the office of government in Poland under the Minister of Defence. During the Second Polish Republic and World War II it was called the Ministry of Military Affairs...
- Central SupportIntegrated logistics supportIntegrated logistics support is an integrated approach to the management of logistic disciplines in the military, similar to commercial product support or customer service organisations...
- Military commandMilitary commandMilitary command is the principle of the exercise of authority in a military, naval or air force context. The exercise of command is normally articulated in the legal framework which embodies the force concerned....
- SupplyMilitary Supply Chain ManagementMilitary supply chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services. The broad management scope includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal information and funds flow.-Supply:...
and Military logisticsMilitary logisticsMilitary logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:... - 4,500 Military GendarmesMilitary GendarmerieThe Military Gendarmerie is a military provost formation created in 1990 in Poland.-History:Polish military police traces its history to the communist era Military Internal Service , World War II-era Service for Protection of the Uprising , interwar-era military police in the Second Polish Republic,...
- Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland
- Military reserve forceMilitary reserve forceA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
s: 20,000 (Part-time volunteers which serve within the Land Forces, Navy and Air Force)
In addition, the Polish Armed Forces employ around 46,000 civilians which are split through all branches of the military. In 2010 the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland
Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland
Ministry of National Defence is the office of government in Poland under the Minister of Defence. During the Second Polish Republic and World War II it was called the Ministry of Military Affairs...
announced its intention about reducing its number by around 10% until 2012
Land Forces
- Main battle tankMain battle tankA main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s: 906 (Leopard 2Leopard 2The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
A4, PT-91PT-91The PT-91 Twardy is a Polish main battle tank. It is a development of the T-72M1 and first entered service in 1995...
, PT-91MA1, T-72T-72The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
, T-72A, T-72M1, T-72M1D) - AFVArmoured fighting vehicleAn armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
: 1687 (KTO RosomakKTO RosomakThe KTO Rosomak is 8x8 multi-role military vehicle produced by...
, BWP-1, BWR-1S, BWR-1D, HMMWV, BRDM-2BRDM-2The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08...
) - ArtilleryArtilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
: 1153 (120mm or greater) - Army HelicoptersHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
: 143 (PZL W-3, PZL SW-4, Mi-8Mil Mi-8The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, Mi-17MI-17MI-17 can refer to:* Mil Mi-17, Soviet helicopter*M-17...
, Mi-24, Mi-2Mil Mi-2The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.-Design and development:...
)
Air Force
- Jet FighterFighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
: 83 ( 35 MiG-29A, 48 F-16 C,D block 52+F-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
) - Attack Aircraft: 45 (Su-22M4)
- Jet Trainer AircraftTrainer (aircraft)A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...
: 54 (PZL TS-11 IskraPZL TS-11 Iskra|-See also:-References:*"Poland's Veteran Spark". Air International, March 1979, Vol 16 No. 3. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll Publishing. pp. 126–131....
) - Turboprop Trainer AircraftTrainer (aircraft)A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...
: 37 (PZL-130 OrlikPZL-130 Orlik-See also :-References :*Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0 7106 1066 1.*"Orlik…A Polish Fledgeling". Air International, October 1985, Vol 29 No 4. pp. 167–172. ISSN 0306-5634....
) - Cargo aircraftCargo aircraftA cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
: 40 (C-295, C-130, PZL M28) - Helicopters: 58 (PZL W-3, PZL SW-4, Mi-8Mil Mi-8The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, Mi-17MI-17MI-17 can refer to:* Mil Mi-17, Soviet helicopter*M-17...
, Mi-2Mil Mi-2The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.-Design and development:...
, Bell 412Bell 412The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
)
Navy
- FrigateFrigateA frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s: 2 (Oliver Hazard Perry ClassOliver Hazard Perry class frigateThe Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of frigates named after the American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie...
) - CorvetteCorvetteA corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
s: 3 (Kaszub class, Tarantul ClassTarantul class corvetteThe Project 1241.1 Molniya are a class of Soviet missile corvettes. They have the NATO reporting name Tarantul...
) - SubmarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s: 5 (Kilo ClassKilo class submarineThe Kilo class is the NATO reporting name for a naval diesel-electric submarine that is made in Russia. The original version of the vessels were designated Project 877 Paltus in Russia. There is also a more advanced version, designated as Improved Kilo in the west, and Project 636 Varshavyanka in...
, Kobben ClassKobben class submarineThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
) - Fast Attack CraftFast Attack CraftFast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
: 3 (Orkan ClassOrkan classThe Orkan class or projekt 660 is series of three fast attack craft of the Polish Navy, in service since 1992.-History:...
) - Mine Counter-Measure VesselsMinesweeper (ship)A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
: 19 (Gardno class, Mamry class, 206FM class206FMMinehunters 206 FM class were built in former "Komuny Paryskiej" shipyard .- Armament :*underwater vehicle*missile/artillery system*2 SAM launchers***chaff launchers*depth charges -External links:*...
) - MinelayerMinelayerMinelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
-Landing craftLanding craftLanding craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
s: 5 (Lublin classLublin classThe Lublin class or projekt 767 are minelayer-landing ships designed and built in Poland for the Polish Navy, in service since 1989. Only 5 out of 12 planned ships were built by Northern Shipyard in Gdańsk due to Fall of Communism. They can carry up to 9 T-72 MBT or 17 transport vehicles like Star...
) - Over 40 other vessels (including survey ships, tankers, rescue and salvage and training ships)
- AircraftAircraftAn aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
: 12 (PZL M28B Bryza) - HelicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
: 31 (Kaman SH-2SH-2 SeaspriteThe Kaman SH-2 Seasprite is a ship-based helicopter with anti-submarine, anti-surface threat capability, including over-the-horizon targeting. This aircraft extends and increases shipboard sensor and weapon capabilities against several types of enemy threats, including submarines of all types,...
, PZL W-3, Mil Mi-14Mil Mi-14|-See also:-External links:******...
, PZL Mi-2, Mil Mi-17Mil Mi-17The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
)
Modernisation
As of 2011, the Polish military is in the middle of a long-term modernisation programme. Immediate plans involve new anti-aircraft missile systems, Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) training aircraft, an aerial refuelingAerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
aircraft, VIP transport aircraft, attack helicopters, a submarine and self-propelled howitzers. However, predictions suggest that the budget might not cope with the need to replace ageing equipment, since several programs such as acqcuisition of two air-to-air refueling tankers, 50 transport helicoters or seven multirole corvettes have been already postponed or completely cancelled. Recent and ongoing modernisation projects include:
Personnel
The Polish Armed Forces are the only military entity in the world to use a two-finger salute which is only used while wearing a hat (it refers to the fact that the salute is given to the emblem itself) with the emblem of the Polish eagle, such as military hat rogatywkaRogatywka
Rogatywka is the Polish generic name for an asymmetrical, peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th century predecessor, konfederatka , although similar caps has been used by light cavalry since 14th century...
. The salute is performed with the middle and index fingers extended and touching each other, while the ring and little fingers are bent and touched by the thumb. The tips of the middle and index fingers touch the peak of the cap, two fingers supposedly meaning honour and fatherland (Honor i Ojczyzna).
See also
- Polish Committee of National LiberationPolish Committee of National LiberationThe Polish Committee of National Liberation , also known as the Lublin Committee, was a provisional government of Poland, officially proclaimed 21 July 1944 in Chełm under the direction of State National Council in opposition to the Polish government in exile...
(Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego or PKWN) - 1944/45 - Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland (Rząd Tymczasowy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej or RTRP) - 1945
- Provisional Government of National UnityProvisional Government of National UnityThe Provisional Government of National Unity was a government formed by a decree of the State National Council on 28 June 1945. It was created as a coalition government between Polish Communists and the Polish government-in-exile...
(Tymczasowy Rząd Jedności Narodowej or TRJN)- 1945/47 - History of Polish Intelligence ServicesHistory of Polish Intelligence ServicesThis article covers the history of Polish intelligence services dating back to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.-Commonwealth:Though the first official Polish government service entrusted with espionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence was not formed until 1918, Poland and later the...