Polish Air Force

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Polish Air Force
Siły Powietrzne
Foundedde facto: 1917; 107 years ago (1917)[1]
de jure: 1918; 106 years ago (1918)[2]
Country Poland
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size
  • 16,500 personnel[3]
  • 261+ aircraft[4]
Part ofPolish Armed Forces
MarchMarsz Lotników (March of Aviators)[5]
EngagementsPolish–Ukrainian War
Polish–Soviet War
World War II
M-28, 737

The Polish Air Force (Polish: Siły Powietrzne, lit.'Air Forces') is the aerial warfare branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej (lit.'Aerial and Air Defense Forces'). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 16,425 military personnel and about 475 aircraft, distributed among ten bases throughout Poland.

The Polish Air Force can trace its origins to the second half of 1917 and was officially established in the months following the end of World War I in 1918. During the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, 70% of its aircraft were destroyed. Most pilots, after the Soviet invasion of Poland on 17 September, escaped via Romania and Hungary to continue fighting throughout World War II in allied air forces, first in France, then in Britain, and later also the Soviet Union.

History

Origins

Military aviation in Poland started even before the officially recognised date of regaining independence (11 November 1918). The very first independent units of the Polish Air Force, in service to the re-emerging Polish sovereign state, were actually formed before, in 1917, before World War I had come to an end.[2] When the Russian Revolution began and the tsardom gradually lost control of the country, Polish pilots took advantage of the chaos and formed spontaneous aerial units in areas of present-day Belarus, south Ukraine, and by the Kuban river.[1] Up until that point Polish pilots had only flown as members of Russian, German or Austro-Hungarian militaries.[2] The first known air force units in service to the re-emerging Polish state were: I Polski Oddział Awiacyjny (1st Polish Aviation Squad) in Minsk formed on 19 June 1917,[1] the 1st and 2nd Aviation Units of the 2nd Corps, the aerial fleet of the 4th Rifle Division, as well as the Samodzielny Polski Oddział Awiacyjny (Independent Polish Aviation Squad) in Odesa.[7]

Establishment

Polish Air Force fighters, 1919

Poland was under German and Austro-Hungarian occupation until

Lwów (now Lviv).[8] On 2 November 1918 pilot Stefan Bastyr performed the first combat flight of Polish aircraft from Lwów.[9]

When the

After the Polish-Soviet War ended in 1921, most of the worn out World War I aircraft were gradually withdrawn and from 1924 the air force started to be equipped with new French aircraft. In total in 1918–1924 there were 2160 aircraft in the Polish Air Force and naval aviation (not all in operable condition), in which there were 1384 reconnaissance aircraft and 410 fighters.

, which was eventually manufactured in Poland under license from Aéroplanes Henry Potez.

The first Polish-designed and mass-produced aircraft to serve in the country's air force was a high wing fighter, the PWS-10, first manufactured in 1930 by the Podlasie Aircraft Factory.

Inter-war years

Polish 7th Air Escadrille
, known as the "Kościuszko Squadron", 1920

In 1933, Zygmunt Pulawski's first high wing, all-metal aircraft, the PZL P.7a, was designed and produced, with 150 entering service. The design was followed by 30 improved PZL P.11a aircraft and a final design, the PZL P.11c, was delivered in 1935 and was a respectable fighter for its time; 175 entered service and it remained the only Polish fighter until 1939, by which time foreign aircraft design had overtaken it. Its final version, the PZL P.24, was built for export only and was bought by four countries. A new fighter prototype, the PZL.50 Jastrząb (Hawk), similar to the Seversky P-35 in layout, was curtailed by the Nazi invasion and the PZL.38 Wilk twin-engine heavy fighter remained a prototype.[8]

As far as bombers are concerned, the Potez 25 and

Breguet 19 were replaced by an all-metal monoplane, the PZL.23 Karaś, with 250 built from 1936 onwards, but by 1939 the Karas was outdated. In 1938 the Polish factory PZL designed a modern twin-engine medium bomber, the PZL.37 Łoś
(Elk). The Łoś had a bomb payload of 2580 kg and a top speed of 439 km/h. Unfortunately, only about 30 Łoś A bombers (single tailfin) and 70 Łoś B (twin tailfin) bombers had been delivered before the Nazi invasion.

As an observation and close reconnaissance plane, Polish

fighters from abroad, but they were not delivered before the outbreak of the war.

1939

A PZL.43 tactical bomber

On 1 September 1939, at the beginning of the

trainers. The fighters were grouped into 15 escadres; five of them constituted the Pursuit Brigade, deployed in the Warsaw area. Despite being obsolete, Polish PZL-11 fighters shot down over 170 German aircraft. The bombers, grouped in nine escadres of the Bomber Brigade, attacked armoured ground columns but suffered heavy losses. Seven reconnaissance- and 12 observation escadres, deployed to particular armies, were used primarily for reconnaissance. Part of the Polish Air Force was destroyed in the campaign; the surviving aircraft were either captured or withdrawn to Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia or Sweden, whose air forces subsequently employed these aircraft for their own use (in the case of Romania until 1956).[citation needed] A great number of pilots and aircrew managed to escape to France and then to Britain, where they played a significant part in the defence of the United Kingdom against Nazi invasion, during the Battle of Britain. Prior to the conflict Poland also bought 234 planes abroad. First of them were on delivery when the conflict started. These were Hawker Hurricane (14 planes), Morane-Saulnier 406 (120 planes) and Fairey Battle (100 planes). The ship SS Lassell with 14 Hawker Hurricanes on board left Liverpool on 28 August 1939, deliveries from France were also on way when the conflict broke out.[11]

Strength of Polish Air Force on 1 September 1939

PZL.37 Łoś medium bomber
PZL.23 Karaś light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft
Aircraft[12] Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat aircraft
PZL P.11 Poland Fighter 175 Combat formations consisted of 140
PZL P.7 Poland Fighter 105 Combat formations consisted of 30
PZL.23A Poland Light bomber 35
PZL.23B Poland Light bomber 170 Combat formations consisted of 120
PZL.43 Poland Light bomber 6 Combat formations consisted of 6
PZL.46 Sum Poland Light bomber 2 Combat formations consisted of 1
PZL.37 Łoś Poland Medium bomber 86 Combat formations consisted of 36
LWS-6 Żubr Poland Medium bomber 15
Surveillance
Lublin R XIII Poland Spotter 150 Combat formations consisted of 55
RWD-14 Czapla Poland Reconnaissance 60 Combat formations consisted of 40
RWD 8 Poland Reconnaissance 550 Combat formations consisted of 20
PWS-16 Poland Reconnaissance/trainer 15 Combat formations consisted of 15

1940 (France)

The emblem of the No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron featuring the designation of the GC I/145

After the fall of Poland, the Polish Air Force started to regroup in France. The only complete unit created before the German attack on France was the

MS-406
. After the surrender of France, many of these pilots managed to escape to Britain to continue the fight against the Luftwaffe.

1940–1947 (United Kingdom)

Following the

fall of France in 1940, Polish units were formed in the United Kingdom, as a part of the Royal Air Force
and known as the Polish Air Force (PAF). Four Polish squadrons were formed:

The two Polish fighter squadrons first saw action in the third phase of the Battle of Britain in August 1940, with much success; the pilots were battle-hardened and Polish flying skills had been well learned from the invasion of Poland. The pilots were regarded as fearless, sometimes bordering on reckless. Nevertheless, success rates were very high in comparison to UK and Empire pilots. 303 Squadron became the most efficient RAF fighter squadron at that time. Many Polish pilots also flew individually in other RAF squadrons.

As World War II progressed, a further twelve Polish squadrons were created in the United Kingdom:

The Polish squadrons in the RAF memorial at St. Clement Danes Church in London

The fighter squadrons initially flew Hurricanes, then switched to

North American Mitchells. 663 Squadron (air observation/artillery spotting) flew Auster
AOP IIIs and Vs. After the war, all equipment was returned to the British, but only some of the pilots and crews actually returned to Poland, with many settling in the United Kingdom, some of whom returned to Poland in 1989 after the fall of communism.

1943–1945 (Soviet Union)

Along with the Polish People's Army (Ludowe Wojsko Polskie) in the

USSR
, the Polish People's Air Force (Ludowe Lotnictwo Polskie) was created, in defence of the Soviet Union against Nazi invasion. Three regiments were formed in late 1943:

  • the 1st Fighter Regiment "Warszawa", (equipped with
    Yak-9
    aircraft),
  • the 2nd Night Bomber Regiment "Kraków" (flying
    CSS-13
    from 1949 onwards),
  • and the 3rd Assault Regiment (flying Ilyushin Il-2 aircraft) were formed.

During 1944–5, further regiments were created, coming together to form the 1st Mixed Air Corps, consisting of a bomber division, an assault division, a fighter division and a mixed division. After the war, these returned to Poland and gave birth to the air force of the

People's Republic of Poland
.

1949–1989

In 1949, the

MiG-17
.

As well as Soviet-produced aircraft, from 1952 onwards Soviet MiG-15 and later MiG-17 fighters were produced under licence in Poland as the Lim-1, Lim-2 and later the Lim-5. A domestic ground attack variant of the Lim-5M was developed as the Lim-6bis in 1964. The only jet bomber used by the Polish Air Force during this period was the

MiG-29s
(1989).

The main fighter-bomber and ground attack aircraft after 1949 was the

Sukhoi Su-22s
in 1984.

Propeller-driven training aircraft, the

An-2 from 1955 and subsequently the Wilga-35 P
.

Transport aircraft used by the Polish Air Force during this period included: the

Yak-40 (first in service in 1973) and the Tupolev Tu-154. A number of helicopters were used by the Polish Army: the SM-1 (a Mil Mi-1 manufactured under licence), which was a multirole helicopter, in operation since 1956; the Mil Mi-4, multirole, since 1958; the PZL SM-2, multirole, since 1960; the Mil Mi-2 and Mil Mi-8 (later also Mil Mi-17), multirole, since 1968 and the Mil Mi-24, a combat helicopter, since 1976. Also the Mil Mi-14, an amphibious helicopter, and the Mil Mi-6
, both used as transports.

In 1954, the Polish Air Force was merged with the Air Defence Force, creating the Air and Country Air Defence Forces (Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Przeciwlotniczej Obszaru Kraju  – WLiOPL OK), a military organisation composed of both flying and anti-aircraft units. In 1962, the WLiOPL OK were separated back again into their two original component bodies: the Air Force (Wojska Lotnicze) and the Country Air Defence Force (Wojska Obrony Powietrznej Kraju).

Present-day operations

Polish Air Force Mikoyan MiG-29 at ILA Berlin Air Show, 2016

After political upheaval and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and a consequent reduction in the state of military anxiety in the whole of Europe, the Polish Air Force saw reductions in size. On 1 July 1990 the Polish Air Force and the Air Defence Force were merged again (Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej – WLiOP or WLOP). The attack capability of this force consisted primarily of

Su-22. As of 2010, the fleet of Su-22s is in need of modernization to retain any value as a combat aircraft and its future is unclear.[13]

In 2002, the

AIM-9X
).

USAF
livery)

In the aftermath of the

Boeing Company was signed to supply two Boeing Business Jet 2 and one Boeing 737-800 for the head of state and the government transport.[18]

On 27 February 2014 Poland signed a €280 million contract with

Team Iskry on 14 November 2016.[21][22]

On 11 December 2014 Polish officials signed a contract with the United States for the purchase of 70

AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Stand off Missile, for US$250 million. Also contained in the contract are upgrades to the fleet of Polish F-16s to be completed by Lockheed Martin.[23]

On 28 May 2019, the Polish Minister of Defence announced that Poland had sent a request for quotation for the acquisition of 32 F-35A aircraft.[24] On 11 September 2019, the Department of Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that Poland had been cleared to purchase 32 F-35A fighters, along with associated equipment, for an estimated cost of $6.5 billion.[25] On 27 September 2019 the US Congress approved the sale.[26] On 31 January 2020, Poland signed a $4.6 billion deal for 32 F-35 fighters.[27]

On 8 March 2022, the Polish government offered to transfer its entire MiG-29 fleet to the US government via

ongoing Russian invasion in return for aircraft of corresponding operational capabilities (most likely F-16s). The exchange was eventually not carried out.[28]

Equipment

Aircraft

An F-16C with conformal fuel tank
A Mi-17 on display at the Radom Air Show in 2013
A C-130 on approach
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-29
Soviet Union[29] multirole
MiG-29A[30]
13[31]
MiG-29UB
6 Used for conversion training
Sukhoi Su-22 Soviet Union fighter-bomber M4 12[32]
UM3K 6[32]
F-35 Lightning II United States stealth multirole F-35A 32 on order[33]
F-16 Fighting Falcon United States multirole F-16C 36[33]
F-16D 12[33] Used for conversion training
T-50 Golden Eagle
Republic of Korea
light multirole FA-50GF 12 36 PL variants on order[34]
AEW&C
Saab 340 Sweden AEW&C 1 1 on order[35]
Transport
Boeing 737 United States VIP transport 800 1[36]
BBJ2 2[36]
CASA C-295 Spain transport 16[33]
PZL M28 Skytruck Poland transport 23[33]
C-130 Hercules United States
tactical airlifter
C-130E 5[37]
C-130H 3[38] 2 on order
Gulfstream G550 United States VIP transport 2[39]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union utility Mi-8/17 11[33]
PZL Mi-2
Poland liaison 17[33]
PZL W-3 Sokół Poland utility 15[33]
Trainer Aircraft
PZL SW-4
Poland rotorcraft trainer 24[33]
Alenia M-346 Italy advanced trainer 16[33]
Diamond DA42
Austria multi engine trainer 3[33]
PZL-130 Orlik Poland trainer 27[33]
Robinson R44 United States rotorcraft trainer 3[33]
Guimbal Cabri G2 France rotorcraft trainer 6[33]
UAV
MQ-9 Reaper United States UCAV MQ-9A ? leasing unspecified number[40]
Bayraktar TB2 Turkey UCAV 12[41] 12 on order.

Note: Three

C-17 Globemaster IIIs are available through the Heavy Airlift Wing based in Hungary.[42]

Air Defence

A pair of mobile SPZR Poprad anti-aircraft systems
Name Origin Type In service Notes
SPZR Poprad Poland SHORAD 2 launchers[43][44][45][46]
Patriot PAC-3 United States IBCS 2 batteries[47] 4 on order
PSR-A Pilica
Poland SHORAD 22 on order[48]
CAMM United Kingdom SHORAD 44 on order[48]
PPZR Grom[49] Poland MANPADS
PPZR Piorun[50] Poland MANPADS
S-200 Vega
Soviet Union 1 battery [49]
S-125 Neva Soviet Union mobile SAM system 51 units[49]

Radars

The 3rd Wrocław Radio Engineering Brigade has several radar types under its command including the Italian made RAT-31DL a AESA system, and the Polish made NUR-15 radar which provides a 3D picture of the controlled airspace. The NUR-31 a mobile unit, employing a medium-range airspace control radar.[51]

Structure

Polish Air Force locations in 2018:
MiG-29A/UB F-16C/D 52+ Su-22M4/M3K other flying units
Air Defense Missile unit
Radar unit
NUR-12M long-range radar stations
RAT-31DL long-range radar stations
Command and Control Centre
Other units

Armed Forces General Command

Armed Forces Operational Command

Armed Forces Operational Command, in Warsaw[54][55]

Ranks and insignia

Officers
NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) Student officer
 Polish Air Force[56]
Various
Marszałek Polski Generał Generał broni Generał dywizji Generał brygady Pułkownik
Podpułkownik
Major Kapitan Porucznik Podporucznik
Podchorąży
Abbreviation marsz. gen. gen.broni gen.dyw. gen.bryg. płk ppłk mjr kpt. por. ppor.
Other ranks
NATO rank scale OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
 Polish Air Force[56]
Starszy chorąży sztabowy Starszy chorąży Chorąży Młodszy chorąży Starszy sierżant Sierżant Plutonowy Starszy kapral Kapral Starszy szeregowy Szeregowy
Abbreviation st.chor.szt. st.chor. chor. mł.chor. st.sierż. sierż. plut. st.kpr. kpr. st.szer. szer.

Qualification badges

The current aviator badge of the Polish Air Force has been in use since the 1920s. The badge is called gapa and represents silver eagle in flight with gold laurel wreath in the bill. Navigator/Observer badge (below) represents the same eagle, but in gold with added lightning bolts. The gapa is worn in the usual place on the upper left breast above the pocket, but unlike other air forces it is suspended on a chain. It adorned the uniform of Polish Air Force officers in the RAF during World War II along with their RAF wings. In the combat version (for at least 7 flights in combat conditions) the badge has a green laurel wreath.

Badge Pilot Observer

Air Forces
Pilot
Observer
Abbreviation pil. obs.

See also

References

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  10. ^ a b Morgała (1997), pp. 242–244
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  12. .
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  18. ^ Boeing Business Jets, Government of Poland Sign Multi-Airplane Deal. Archived 2017-04-08 at the Wayback Machine boeing.com, March 31, 2017.
  19. ^ World Air Forces 2014 Archived 2016-01-07 at the Wayback Machine December 10, 2013
  20. Archive-It
    May 15, 2014
  21. ^ Siminski, Jacek (15 November 2016). "The Polish Air Force has received the first two M-346 Master advanced jet trainers". The Aviationist. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
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    Flightglobal Insight
    . Retrieved 12 December 2023.
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  40. ^ Donald, David. "Poland To Lease Reapers Ahead of Planned MQ-9B Buy". Aviation International News. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
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  43. ^ Dmitruk, Tomasz (2020-12-27). "Ocena stanu realizacji Planu Modernizacji Technicznej Sił Zbrojnych RP na lata 2013–2022, 2017–2026 i 2021–2035 W zestawieniu uwzględniono także wybrane zadania zawarte w Planie Zakupu Środków Materiałowych. wg. stanu na dzień 27 grudnia 2020 roku". Dziennik Zbrojny.
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  47. ^ "Wisła i Patrioty za 4,75 mld dolarów. Kontrakt podpisany". defence24.pl (in Polish). 28 March 2018. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  48. ^ a b "Główne elementy systemu Pilica+ zamówione".
  49. ^ a b c "Nad Wisłą bezpieczniej?". DziennikZbrojny.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  50. ^ "Pioruny i nowe Spike już w wojsku – Defence24". 2019-08-10. Archived from the original on 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  51. ^ "RAT-31DL (BACKBONE)". Wojsko-Polskie.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  52. ^ "Directly subordinate units". Polish Armed Forces – Armed Forces General Command. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
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  55. ^ "Structure". Air Operations Centre – Air Component Command. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  56. ^ a b "Sposób noszenia odznak stopni wojskowych na umundurowaniu wojsk Lądowych i sił Powietrznych" (PDF). wojsko-polskie.pl (in Polish). Armed Forces Support Inspectorate. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

Bibliography

Further reading

  • Air Forces Monthly, May 1999 (for details of reorganisation from regiments into squadrons)

External links