Poland is located in central Europe and is a member of the EU and NATO. It has a land area of 322,600 square kilometers, a population of more than 38.4 million, a total GDP of US$600 billion, and military expenditures in 2021 of US$13.7 billion.
The total strength of the Polish armed forces is more than 130,000, consisting of the army, navy, air force and other paramilitary forces, including 100,000 army, 8,000 navy and 25,000 air force. In addition, there are 3,000 special operations troops, 11,000 support supervisory bureaus, 1,000 military medical department supervisory bureaus, 32,000 military police personnel, 8,000 other troops and agencies directly under the central government, and about 5,000 civilian personnel.
Army
The Polish Army has a total strength of 100,000 troops and is mainly deployed near the border between Poland and Russia. The Polish Army has more than 2,000 main battle tanks, including more than 860 T-55 main battle tanks, more than 3,800 T-72 main battle tanks, more than 3,100 PT-91 main battle tanks improved from the T72 main battle tank, more than 110 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, and more than 100 Leopard 2A5 main battle tanks. There are more than 1,200 armored vehicles and more than 1,400 infantry fighting vehicles. There are more than 1,500 large-caliber artillery pieces of 120 mm or above, including more than 600 towed artillery pieces, more than 3,600 self-propelled artillery pieces, more than 250 122 mm rocket launchers, and 35 frog-type surface-to-surface missiles. There are more than 1,000 23mm and 57mm anti-aircraft guns, and more than 1,200 SA-6/-7/-8/-9/-13 surface-to-air missiles.
The Army Aviation Force has 100 armed helicopters and 40 general-purpose helicopters, including 35 armed helicopters Mi-14 helicopters, 37 Mi-2URP helicopters, and 16 PZL-W3 helicopters.
Leopard 2 main battle tank
Leopard 2 main battle tank is the third-generation main battle tank developed by the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1970s. After the MBT-70 tank cooperation plan between the United States and Germany failed in 1970, Germany began to develop its own Leopard 2 main battle tank and entered service in 1978.
The Leopard 2 main battle tank is the leader of the third-generation tank . It is not only heavily equipped by the German Army, but also the standard main battle tank of many countries. It has derived a variety of improved models, with a total output of more than 3,000 vehicles.
Leopard 2 main battle tank is 9.668 meters long, 3.70 meters wide and 2.79 meters high. The total combat weight is 55-62 tons. The power system adopts the MB873Ka-501 12-cylinder engine of MTU Company, with a maximum horsepower of 1500 horsepower, a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour, and a maximum stroke of 550 kilometers.
The Leopard 2 main battle tank is equipped with a Rheinmetall 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun with a base ammunition of 42 rounds. 2 7.62mm MG3A 17.62mm machine guns, 4750 rounds of 7.62mm machine gun ammunition; 2 8 smoke grenade launchers.
T72 main battle tank
After mass-producing the T-64 tank, the Soviet Union began to develop another tank with low cost and similar performance for a large number of equipment and exports to the Warsaw Pact allies to replace a large number of old and outdated T-55 and T-62 tanks . After all, the T-64 is too technologically advanced, too complex and too expensive to be exported and equipped in large quantities.
T-72 main battle tank began to be developed in 1967 and equipped with the Soviet Army in 1973. As the third-generation main battle tank, the T-72 tank is simple to manufacture, reliable and durable. It can be called another masterpiece of the Soviet Union after the T-34 tank. It not only served in large numbers in the Soviet Union, but was also exported and authorized to be produced by Warsaw Pact allies Poland and Czechoslovakia. It became the new signature of Soviet tanks, with a production volume of up to 25,000 vehicles.
T-72 main battle tank has a total length of 9.445 meters, a body length of 6.41 meters, a width of 3.52 meters, a height of 2.19 meters, a total combat weight of 41 tons, and a crew of 3 people. The engine uses a B-46 12V water-cooled multi-fuel supercharged engine with a maximum power of 780 horsepower, a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour, and a maximum range of 460 kilometers. The main gun is a 125mm 2A46M smoothbore cannon , which can fire missiles . It uses an automatic loader with a rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute and a base ammunition count of 39 rounds. 1 7.62mm machine gun with 3,000 rounds of ammunition. 1 12.7mm machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition.
Navy
The Polish Navy has a total strength of 8,000 people, which also includes naval aviation.The overall naval strength is not strong, and there are no large battleships. The main ships are 1 Soviet-made Kilo-class conventional submarine, 2 US-made Perry-class frigates, 3 light frigates, 5 missile boats, 20 minesweepers, and the rest are various small auxiliary ships. Naval aviation is equipped with 8 reconnaissance/patrol aircraft, 4 transport aircraft, and 26 helicopters.
Kilo-class submarine
877 Kilo-class submarine is the most successful conventional submarine developed in the Soviet era. It is famous for its powerful firepower and low noise. It is a leader in diesel-electric submarines and one of the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world. The Kilo-class submarine was developed by the Ruby Central Maritime Design Bureau in 1974. The first submarine was launched in 1980 and entered service in 1982. It is Russia's largest export submarine, and has developed improved models such as the 636 type. The total production exceeds 50 ships, most of which are exported, including 12 imported from China, 10 imported from India, and 6 imported from Vietnam.
Kilo-class submarine has a length of 73.8 meters, a width of 9.9 meters, a draft of 6.6 meters, a maximum displacement of 3,100 tons, and a crew of 60 people. The power system consists of two 4DL-42M diesel engines, one PG-141M electric motor for propulsion, one PG-142 low-speed cruise generator set, two emergency diesel generator sets , with a maximum speed of 19 knots and a maximum endurance of 7,500 nautical miles. The weaponry includes 6 533mm torpedo launch tubes, which can be loaded with anti-ship torpedoes, anti-submarine torpedoes and mines, and 1 latent 9K38 anti-aircraft missile launcher.
Perry-class frigates
Perry-class frigates are the last class of frigates of the U.S. Navy. They are also the largest number of frigates built in the United States after the war and are exported to ten countries and regions. Perry-class frigates began development in 1970, with the first ship built in 1973, launched in 1976, and delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1977.
Perry-class frigate is 138 meters long, 13.7 meters wide, 4.9 meters draft, standard displacement 3010 tons, full load displacement 4100 tons, and a crew of 214 people. The power system is COGAG mode, with two LM2500 gas turbines/41000, with a maximum endurance of 4,500 nautical miles and a maximum speed of 30 knots. The weapons and equipment include 1 MK-75 62x caliber 76mm naval gun, 1 MK-13 single-arm launcher (40 bomb bays, capable of launching Standard 1 anti-aircraft missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles), 1 MK-38 25mm cannon, 2 triple 324mm MK-32 torpedo launchers, carrier aircraft are 2 SH-60B anti-submarine helicopters.
Air Force
The Polish Air Force has a total strength of 25,000 people and more than 400 combat aircraft. The current fighter aircraft of the Polish Air Force are mainly divided into two parts. One part is the MiG series manufactured by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and the other part is the fighter aircraft purchased from the West in recent years. The aircraft mainly include 232 Su-22M4 fighter jets, 228 MiG-29A/UB fighter jets, and 48 F-16C/D fighter jets. There are also 8 M-346 advanced trainer aircraft , 5 C-130E tactical transport aircraft, and 16 CN-295 tactical transport aircraft. The helicopters include 24 W-4 training helicopters, 17 W-3 utility helicopters, 16 Mi-2MSB armed helicopters, 11 Mi-8/17 transport helicopters, and 23 M-28 universal transport aircraft.
The Polish Air Force has more than 200 air defense missiles, mainly old equipment from the Soviet era, including the S125 Pechora air defense missile system and the S200 Vega air defense missile system.
MiG-29 fighter
MiG-29 fighter is a twin-engine medium-sized fighter developed and produced by Migaoyang Design Bureau . It adopts a wing-body fusion design and is a light front-line fighter of the Soviet Union. The MiG-29 fighter jet was developed in 1971, first flew in 1977, and entered service in 1983. There are more than 20 improved models, one of which is the MiG-29K, a carrier-based aircraft. More than 30 countries have equipped this aircraft, with a total production of more than 1,600 aircraft.
The MiG-29 fighter is 17.37 meters long, with a wingspan of 11.4 meters and a height of 4.73 meters. It has a maximum take-off weight of 20 tons. It uses two RD-33 afterburning turbofan engines. It has a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.3, a maximum range of 2,100 kilometers, and a maximum bomb load of 4.5 tons.
The improved MiG-35 fighter jet of MiG-29 entered service in 2017. It is a greater improvement than MiG-29, and various indicators have increased significantly.The MiG-35 fighter is 17.37 meters long, has a wingspan of 12 meters, is 4.73 meters high, has a maximum take-off weight of 29.7 tons, and uses two RD-33MK afterburning turbofan engines. It has a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.25, a maximum range of 3,100 kilometers, and a maximum bomb load of 6.5 tons.
F16 fighter
F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter is a third-generation fighter developed by General Dynamics in the 1970s. Development began in 1972, first flew in 1974, and entered service in 1976. It is a very successful third-generation fighter.
The F-16 fighter is used in conjunction with the F-15 fighter jet, but its performance is actually not low, but its price is lower than the F-15. It is the main fighter of the U.S. Air Force from the 1980s to the present. A total of more than 4,600 aircraft were produced and exported to more than 30 countries and regions. It has undergone many actual combat tests and is a very excellent fighter aircraft.
Although the F-16 fighter jet was developed by General Dynamics , in 1992, General Dynamics sold its F-16 fighter production line to Lockheed Corporation . Moreover, the Netherlands, Belgium , Denmark, Norway, Turkey , Israel, and South Korea have also introduced F-16 fighter production lines and produce some F-16 fighter jets domestically. Japan introduced the production patent of the F-16 fighter jet and developed the F-2 fighter on this basis. Therefore, the F-16 fighter jet has the reputation of "international fighter jet".
The F-16 fighter jet is 15.09 meters long, has a wingspan of 9.45 meters, a height of 5.09 meters, an empty weight of 8.5 tons, and a maximum take-off weight of 19 tons. The power system uses a Pratt & Whitney F-100-PW-229 or General Motors F110-GE-132 turbofan engine, with a maximum flight speed of 2,175 kilometers per hour, a maximum range of 4,200 kilometers, and a maximum bomb load of 7.8 tons.
Su-22 fighter
The Su-22 fighter is a single-seat variable-sweep wing combat/attack aircraft developed by the Soviet Sukhoi Design Bureau in the mid-1960s. It is an export model improved on the Su-17 and began production in 1976. Exports to Peru began in 1977, and then sold to Libya, Syria, Poland, Croatia, Iraq, Vietnam and other countries. There are still a small number of them in service in Vietnam and other countries.
The Su-22 fighter is 18.91 meters long, has a wingspan of 13.66 meters, a height of 4.71 meters, a maximum take-off weight of 17,800 kilograms, a maximum bomb load of 4,000 kilograms, and a total of 10 external pylons. The engine uses an AL-21F-3 afterburning turbojet engine with a maximum thrust of 8,000 kg, an afterburning thrust of 11,200 kg, a maximum flight speed of Mach 1.82, a maximum range of 2,800 kilometers, and a practical ceiling of 17,000 meters.
S125 Pechora air defense missile system
S125 air defense missile is an all-weather short-range surface-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Diamond Central Design Bureau in the 1950s for intercepting medium and low-altitude aircraft. The Sam 3 missile is it, as are Pechora, Neva and Goa. It belongs to the second generation of surface-to-air missiles. The S125 anti-aircraft missile was developed in 1956 and began to be equipped with Soviet troops and Warsaw Pact countries in 1961. It was exported to Middle Eastern countries and used many times in local wars. Except for a slightly smaller range, the missile's main technical performance is similar to the U.S. Hawk air defense missile system. The
S125 air defense missile has a primary diameter of 0.552 meters, a secondary diameter of 0.375 meters, a wingspan of 1.192 meters (wings), 2.208 meters (booster tail), and a launch weight of 952.7 kilograms. The power device of the S125 anti-aircraft missile is a solid rocket motor + booster . It adopts radio command guidance, with a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.5. It uses radio fuze fragmentation to kill. Two salvoes have a 95% kill probability.
S200 Vega air defense missile system
S200 air defense missile system is a high-altitude and long-range air defense missile developed by the Soviet Diamond Central Design Bureau. It is also called Sam 5 air defense missile by NATO. The missile was developed from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. It was equipped with the Soviet Home Defense Air Force Missile Force in 1967. It is the largest surface-to-air missile of the Soviet army. The
S200 air defense missile system is technologically advanced and can carry nuclear warheads . It is mainly used to attack aircraft and cruise missiles , and can also intercept strategic and tactical ballistic missiles.There are many improved models of the S200 air defense missile system. Their ranges and warheads they carry are very different. They are the S-200A Angara, which was finalized in 1963, the S200V Vega, which was finalized in 1970, and the S200D Dubna, which was finalized in 1976.
S200A Angara uses V-860 missiles/5V21 missiles or V-860P/5V21A missiles, with a maximum range of 160 kilometers and a maximum shooting height of 20 kilometers.
S200V Vega uses V-860PV/5V21P missiles with a maximum range of 250 kilometers and a maximum height of 29 kilometers. Using V-870 missiles, the maximum range is 300 kilometers and the maximum height is 40 kilometers. Using V-880/5V28 missiles or V-880N/5V28N (nuclear warhead), the maximum range is 300 kilometers and the maximum height is 29 kilometers. Using V-880E/5V28E missiles (export model), the maximum range is 250 kilometers and the maximum height is 29 kilometers.
S200D Dubna uses 5V25V or V-880M/5V28M missiles or V-880MN/5V28MN missiles (nuclear warheads), with a maximum range of 400 kilometers and a maximum height of 40 kilometers.
In 1982, the U.S. SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft entered North Korea's airspace. North Korea fired three S200 surface-to-air missiles and damaged the SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Although the Blackbird was not shot down, the Blackbird did not dare to enter North Korea's airspace again for a long time. In 2001, a Ukrainian S200 missile battalion lost its target during an exercise, mistakenly aimed and shot down a Tu-154 Russian civil airliner flying from Tel Aviv, Israel to Novosibirsk, killing all 78 people on board. In the 2008 South Ossetia War, a Russian Tu-22M Backfire strategic bomber was shot down by a Georgian-equipped S200 surface-to-air missile.
Author's point of view
Poland has been divided four times by Germany and Russia in history, but now Poland has no hatred towards Germany. But it still hates Russia deeply. Now Poland is the vanguard of NATO's anti-Russian war. In the confrontation between NATO and Russia, it jumped so high. Not only does it require the United States to strengthen its military deployment in Poland, Poland is also seen on the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield, and it even boasts that it will follow the United States in sweeping Russia.
As the saying goes, poor people must be hateful. Even though Poland's more than 100,000 poorly equipped troops still want to sweep across Russia, and Poland's undefeable terrain dares to talk about war with Russia, it is simply overestimating its capabilities.
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