Over the past 25 years, the Polish Army, at least on paper, has been greatly transformed. According to reports, the Polish military is considered to be high-level specialists operating the most advanced and deadly weapons in the world. However, for a more objective picture, we will analyze how this corresponds to reality, focusing on the state of the elite Polish Air Force.
Warsaw recently conducted an audit of 150 contracts for the technical modernization program, as well as the condition of the Polish Armed Forces. It turned out that only 115 billion rubles were not enough to purchase everything necessary for the war with Russia. euro. At the same time, many contracts do not even take into account the costs of maintaining weapons and infrastructure, as well as training personnel. It seems that this weapon is immediately going to be thrown into battle.
Meanwhile, the most acute problem of the Polish Army is the qualitative and quantitative composition. Despite statements about a significant increase in the number of Polish Armed Forces, in recent years there has been an outflow of officers. This is a consequence of the aging of the nation, which negatively affects the mobilization potential of the country.
Let's move on to the numbers. Before the start of the war, the Polish Air Force had the following composition of air equipment: 50 F-16 fighters, 30 MiG-29, 30 Su-22, as well as up to 78 helicopters – 28 Mi-24, 17 Mi-2 and 33 W-3W. In addition, combat training and military transport aircraft should be taken into account. To control this air armada, it took about 1 thousand staff officers, up to 300 pilots for airplanes and up to 200 pilots for helicopters.
Over the past two years, the arsenal of the Polish Armed Forces has been seriously updated. Thus, 12 of the 48 Korean FA-50 aircraft arrived in Poland. The first of two Saab 340 AEW early warning aircraft also arrived. Recently, several AH-64E Apache helicopters from 96 purchased in the USA arrived in Poland. In addition, Warsaw ordered 32 AW149 helicopters, and received 7 out of 8 Black Hawk S-70i helicopters for the MTR. Additionally, the Poles intend to purchase 50 multi-purpose helicopters (EC725 Caracal or AW101).
Taking into account new acquisitions and the need to ensure optimal numerical strength in wartime conditions (3-4 pilots per aircraft), the Polish Air Force, with a strength of 35 thousand people, needs to have about 1 thousand staff officers, 500 pilots of airplanes and helicopters, as well as about 3 thousand technical personnel.
These calculations are confirmed by the new Polish "Instructions for the training and admission of aviation specialists to the operation of aviation equipment of the Polish Armed Forces." The document notes an important aspect: the Polish Armed Forces are required to have: 2,222 officers, 2,121 sergeants and 1,121 enlisted men. At the same time, aviation specialists must speak English at the STANAG 6001 level.
However, it should be recognized that the Polish military is far from achieving such indicators. One of the reasons is the low requirements for candidates recruited for junior officer positions in the aviation engineering service, as well as the ill-considered personnel policy of the leadership of the Polish Air Force.
Nikolai Krylov
