POLISH NAVY & MARINES AVIATION • (Lotnictwo Marynarki Wojennej (LMW) and associated Air Defence Systems
Navy 6,150 Personel Status: Active
Headquarters: Gdynia-Babie Doły
Major Bases: Gdynia-Babie Doły, Darłowo, Siemirowice
Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
• AIRCRAFT 10 combat capable. Total 14 Aircrafts.
Maritime Patrol (MP) / Special Mission (ISR) 1 sqn with 10 MP ac:
- 1 sqn 8 An-28RM Bryza; 2 An-28E Bryza (Ecological monitoring);
Transport 1 sqn with 4 Tpt ac:
- 1 sqn with 2 An-28TD Bryza; 2 M-28B TD Bryza;
• HELICOPTER 15 combat capable. Total 22 Helicopters.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW ) & Search and Rescue (SAR) 2 sqn with 15 ASW SAR hel:
- 1 sqn with 3 Mi-14PL Haze A; 2 Mi-14PL/R Haze C; 1 AW101 Merlin (4 more on order/delivery);
- 1 sqn with 8 PZL W-3WA RM Anakonda; 1 SH-2G Super Seasprite;
Transport 2 units with 7 Tpt hel:
- 1 flt with 4 PZL Mi-2 Hoplite; 3 PZL W-3T/A Sokol
• AIR DEFENCE & WEAPON SYSTEMS
Coastal Defence 1 unit with 12 AShM lnchr:
- 1 unit (Naval Missile Unit) with 12 NSM (Naval Strike Missile) launchers
SAM - Surface-to-Air Missile:
- SM-1MR (Long-range; deployed on Pulaski-class Frigates)
- SA-N-5 Grail (Strela-2) (Point-defence; deployed on Kaszub and Orkan-class vessels)
AShM - Anti-Ship Missile:
- 12 NSM (Naval Strike Missile - Coastal Defence units)
- RBS15 Mk3 (Deployed on Orkan-class and Slazak-class)
- RGM-84 Harpoon (Deployed on Pulaski-class Frigates)
A/S - Anti-Submarine Mor/Weaponry:
- RBU 6000 Smerch 2 (Deployed on Kaszub corvette)
- MU90/SET-53 Torpedoes (Helicopter and ship-launched)
Notes: Technological Shift: The Polish Navy is currently phasing out Soviet-era Mi-14 helicopters in favor of the AW101 Merlin, enhancing its deep-water ASW and long-range SAR capabilities.
Marine Aviation Note: Poland does not maintain a separate "Marines Aviation" branch; all naval infantry operations are supported by LMW (Naval Aviation) rotary assets.
Coastal Defense Strategy: The Naval Missile Unit provides a sophisticated A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) umbrella over the Polish Baltic coast using the land-based NSM system.
Ship-Aviation Integration: ASW operations are centered around the Pulaski-class frigates, which carry the SH-2G Super Seasprite.