Polish Special Forces

Special Troops Command (Pol.: Wojska Specjalne) is the fourth military branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland and was officially formed in early 1990 after the fall of communism in 1989, in which the Polish Special Forces were first deployed into the conflict in Lebanon. The conflict in Lebanon was the first official battlefield experience in post-communist times. Polish Special Forces most notably train with American Navy SEALS and NATO Alliance members. It is composed of special forces units and command.

Special Troops Command
Wojska Specjalne
Founded1990
Country Poland
AllegiancePolish Armed Forces
Typespecial forces
Size3 380 (April 2020)[1]
Garrison/HQKraków
EngagementsWar in Afghanistan, Iraq War, Syrian civil war (Personnel recovery, Emergency evacuation)
Commanders
Chief of the General Staffgen. broni Rajmund Andrzejczak
General Commandergen. broni Jarosław Mika
Special Operations Component Commandergen. bryg. Sławomir Drumowicz
Insignia
Flag

Composition

Special Troops Command (Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych) based in Kraków:[2]

  • Jednostka Wojskowa Grom, or GROM, based in Warszawa and Gdańsk – Poland's premier special missions unit. The unit was named after the Silent Unseen of World War II and trains regularly with the best special operation units from around the world.[2]
  • Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów, or JWK, based in Lubliniec – With a varied skill set, comparable to that of the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets), JWK is responsible for asymmetrical warfare, embedding with, training, and leading host nation forces, as well as counter insurgency operations.
  • Jednostka Wojskowa Formoza, or JW FORMOZA, is based in Gdynia - Created as a maritime sabotage unit in the 1970s and it is the smallest of the STCs special forces units. The unit works closely with GROM and JWK and is often referred to as Poland's equivalent of the Navy SEALs.
  • Jednostka Wojskowa Agat, or AGAT, based in Gliwice – A relatively new unit, being stood up in 2011, its name is shortened for “anti-gestapo” in honor of a WWII Polish Home Army Combat Diversion unit. A specialized light infantry unit, its role is comparable to that of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
  • Jednostka Wojskowa Nil, or NIL, is based in Kraków – Formed in 2008 as the Special Operations Support unit, the unit is responsible for intelligence analysis, electronic warfare, technical surveillance, and unmanned aircraft operations. The unit is named after general Emil August Fieldorf “Nil”, a WWII Polish hero.
  • 7 Special Operations Aviation Squadron based in Powidz – Created in 2011, dedicated to support SOF if needed while still being part of the Air Force.

Structure

Multi-role exploitation Reconnaissance Team (MRT) during NATO exercise Trident Juncture 15

GROM - Operational-Maneuver Response Group "Cichociemni" (Silent Unseen)

  • Command and Support Staff in Warsaw
  • A Squadron (ZB A) Land Element located in Warsaw
  • B Squadron (ZB B) Maritime Element located in Gdańsk
  • C Squadron (ZB C) Specialty unknown located in Warsaw
  • Logistic and Security Unit - located in Warsaw

JW Komandosów - Army Commandos

  • Command and Security - insignia of the Batalion Zośka from the Polish Home Army
  • A Squadron (ZB A)- insignia of the Batalion Miotła from the Polish Home Army and insignia of PSBS
  • B Squadron (ZB B)- Combined Operations insignia of the No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando unit and its No. 6 Troop (Polish)
  • C Squadron (ZB C)- insignia of the Batalion Parasol from the Polish Home Army
  • D Squadron (ZB D)- set up in 2016
  • Information Support Group
  • Special Forces Training Center

JW Formoza - name comes from the colloquial name of the units base, the post-German torpedo house in Gdynia, called "Formoza".[3]

  • Special Operations Squadron - at least six special operations sections and a base unit
JW AGAT shoulder patch

JW AGAT - formed on the basis of the Special Branch of the Military Police in Gliwice[4]

  • HQ Staff and Command Group
  • "A" Company
  • "B" Company
  • "C" Company
  • Combat Support Team
  • Logistics Security Team
  • Medical Security Group

JW NIL - Support Unit of Command and Security of Special Forces[5]

  • HQ Staff
  • Command Team
  • Logistics Security Team
  • Information Support Team
  • Medical Security Group

7 Special Operations Aviation Squadron - based in Powidz

Equipment

Weaponry

Name Type Photo Notes
Standard firearms of the Polish Armed Forces
AKMAssault rifleOutdated technology, virtually phased out and replaced
Kbs wz. 1996 BerylAssault rifle Most commonly used weapon
Pallad grenade launcherGrenade launcherPolish made grenade launcher, used from its introduction to the army
SWDSniper rifle
Sako TRGSniper Rifle
PKMGeneral purpose machine gun
UKM-2000General purpose machine gun
Standard firearms of the Polish Special Forces
Heckler & Koch USPSemi-auto pistolStandard pistol in JW Grom
Glock 17Semi-auto pistolStandard pistol in JW Komandosów and JW Agat
SIG P226Semi-auto pistolStandard pistol in JW Formoza (Navy Unit)
FN Five-sevenSemi-auto pistolStandard pistol for close protection in JW Grom
CZ Scorpion Evo 3Submachine gunNew addition SMG for direct force operations in JW Grom
Heckler & Koch MP5Submachine gunStandard SMG for direct force operations in JW Grom
FN P90Submachine gunStandard SMG for close protection in JW Grom
Colt M4A1Assault rifleMostly supplanted the Beryl in JW GROM. Less prevalent in other units.
Heckler & Koch HK416Assault rifleAssault rife used by the Polish SOF, JW Grom, JW Komandosów and JW Agat. Various barrel options used (10, 14.5 and 16.5 inch). Most commonly used assault rifle of the Special Forces
Heckler & Koch AG-C/GLMGrenade launcherStandard under-barrel grenade launcher used with the HK416
Heckler & Koch G36Assault rifleUsed in JW Formoza
Heckler & Koch AG36Grenade launcherStandard grenade launcher used with the G36
FN MinimiLight machine gunMost common light machine gun in the Polish SOF
Carl GustavRecoilless rifle
Other firearms
Beretta 92Semi-auto pistol
M4 CarbineAssault rifleClones made by KAC and Bushmaster
F2000Assault rifle
M14 rifleBattle rifleUpgraded to EBR standard
M203Grenade launcher
H&K MZP-1Grenade launcher
Remington 870Shotgun
Heckler & Koch PSG-1Sniper rifle
Remington 700Sniper rifle
Mauser SP66Sniper rifle
Mauser 86Sniper rifle
Barrett M82Anti-material rifle

Vehicles

Name Type Variant In service Notes
HMMWVFour-wheel drive multi-purpose vehicleM1165A15The Polish Armed Forces currently operate 222 different variants of HMMWVes (217 are operated by the Polish Land Forces).
Oshkosh M-ATVMRAP45Donated by the United States[9]
ToyotaFour-wheel drive vehicleLand Cruiser
Hilux[10]
Used by GROM and 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów (1st Special Commando's Regiment)
Land Rover DefenderFour-wheel drive vehicle90
110
4[11]
6
Used by JW GROM and JW Formoza
Mercedes-BenzFour-wheel drive vehicle
Truck
G-class
Atego 1323AK
6
10[12]
The Polish Armed forces currently operate a total of 140 G-class vehicles.[13] The Land forces operate 121 GD 290s and MB290GD WDs.[12] The military police uses 13 GD 290s.[12]
Tarpan Honker4x4Honker Skorpion 3 special versionUsed by 1 Pułk Specjalny KomandosówPolish made off-road vehicles, best variants are powered with Polish Andoria engines
StarTruckStar 1444 (MAN TGM 18.280 BB)1[12]Polish made trucks, now modernised to adjust to new weaponry and specifications
VolvoTruckVolvo FM 8x4
Volvo FM 6x6
Volvo FM 4x4
10[12]
11[12]
2[12]

Rank insignia

Officers
NATO CodeOF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1

Special Forces
Polish name Generał1 Generał
broni
Generał
dywizji
Generał
brygady
Pułkownik Podpułkownik Major Kapitan Porucznik Podporucznik
Abbreviation gen. gen. broni gen. dyw. gen. bryg. płk ppłk mjr kpt. por. ppor.
U.S./U.K. equivalent General Lieutenant
General
Major
General
Brigadier
General
,
Brigadier
Colonel Lieutenant
Colonel
Major Captain First
Lieutenant
,
Lieutenant
Second
Lieutenant

1 Until 2004 Generał armii

Enlisted
NATO CodeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1

Special Forces
Polish name 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.
U.S./Commonwealth equivalent Command
Sergeant
Major
Sergeant
Major
Master
Sergeant
Sergeant
1st Class
Staff
Sergeant
Sergeant Corporal Specialist
Lance Corporal
Private
1st Class
Private E-1 Private
E-2

See also

References

  1. http://www.dz.urz.mon.gov.pl/zasoby/dziennik/pozycje/zalaczniki/2020/02/zalaczniki-sig.pdf
  2. "Polish Special Forces 2018 GROM / JWK / FORMOZA / AGAT / NIL". funker530.com. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  3. "JW FORMOZA - USSE". usse.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  4. "Jednostka Wojskowa "Agat"". www.jednostki-wojskowe.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  5. "Jednostka Wojskowa "Nil"". www.jednostki-wojskowe.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  6. Siminski, Jacek (2019-12-23). "Polish Special Ops Component Receives S-70i Black Hawk Helicopters". The Aviationist. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  7. "Mil Mi-17-1V Hip, lokalizacja: Powidz - (EPPW), autor: Marek Purat". Galeria Aviateam.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  8. "Miniguny w końcu kupione". www.altair.com.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  9. "Polskie Wojska Specjalne otrzymały od Amerykanów 45 pojazdów opancerzonych M-ATV". technologie.onet.pl. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  10. Nowa Technika Wojskowa magazine, issue 03/09
  11. "Nadjeżdża Huzar". 4 January 2005.
  12. "Zakupy pojazdów dla Wojska Polskiego". Gdzie zaczyna się wojsko...
  13. Nowa Technika Wojskowa magazine, issue 03/09 96
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