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Poland Armed Services
In 1992 the Polish Army consisted of the ground forces,
the
navy, and the air force and air defense forces. The air
force and
air defense forces formally merged in 1991 when full
command of
the air force reverted to Poland from the Warsaw Pact and
the
strategic requirement for air combat outside Polish
territory
ended. The size of the Polish Army began to decrease
dramatically
in 1988, but changes in force structure were more gradual
in the
early 1990s. Between 1988 and 1992, the total number of
armed
forces personnel dropped from 897,000 (406,000 active,
491,000
reserves) to 731,500 (296,500 active, 435,000 reserves).
Plans
called for further reduction in the mid-1990s to a total
active
force of slightly over 200,000.
The armed forces model proposed in 1991 for the next
ten
years called for increased mobility of forces, principally
provided by helicopters; improved equipment quality,
especially
in command, air defense, and radio-electronic systems;
completion
of force redeployment with operational and strategic
supply
support in place; increased staff professionalism; and a
stronger
position in the world market for selected military
products such
as helicopters, radio-electronic equipment, and tanks
(see Arms Procurement
, this ch.). The short-term model called for
air
traffic control and air defense system cooperation with
partners
in the Visegrád Triangle; reactivation of several
mechanized
divisions to balance reduction of the combat readiness of
the two
western military districts; and complete activation of the
Kraków
Military District, all within the next two to three years.
In 1989 some sixty-eight military units were disbanded,
and
another 147 units were reorganized. According to reports,
this
meant the retirement of 400 tanks, 700 artillery pieces,
600
armored personnel carriers, and eighty aircraft, as well
as a cut
of 30,000 active-duty personnel. The 1990 schedule called
for
elimination of fifty-seven more units and reorganization
of
seventy units, retiring 450 tanks, 200 artillery pieces,
and 100
armored personnel carriers.
After completion of the restructuring program, planners
envisioned ground forces of nine streamlined divisions,
one
airborne brigade, and one coastal defense brigade. The air
and
air defense forces would include one fighter division, two
fighter-bomber divisions, an air reconnaissance regiment,
two
combat helicopter regiments, and one transport helicopter
regiment. Five training regiments would serve the
remaining
active forces. The structure of the navy would remain
essentially
unchanged, featuring three flotillas and one coastal
defense
brigade.
Data as of October 1992
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