Poland’s infantry are a peculiar case of
extremes. As a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, its roots
are in Warsaw Pact equipment, and they weren’t operating the best the Eastern
Bloc had to offer by its collapse in 1989. But on the other hand, Poland has been a member of NATO since 1999. Upgraded Leopard
2PLs ride alongside ancient BMP-1s; and new heavy equipment built on western
design principles is around the corner. Today I’m breaking down Poland’s mechanized and
motorized infantry units from squad to division, covering current and new equipment, and
their plans for an ambitious expansion.
First, there are two main types of armored
infantry squad: mechanized and motorized. The Mechanized Squad is currently mounted
on the BWP-1 infantry fighting vehicle, the Polish designation for the Soviet BMP-1
first introduced in the 1960s. Its main armament is a 73mm Grom low-pressure smoothbore gun,
which fires the same munitions as the SPG-9 recoilless gun. It also has a coaxial PKT
machine gun and Malyutka anti-tank missiles. The BMP-1 can hold a max of 3 crew members, and
8 in the passenger compartment. Although this doesn’t directly translate to 3 plus 8 squads to
accommodate Platoon HQ personnel. The BMP-1 also only has a 1-man turret, so the vehicle commander
– sat behind the driver – usually dismounts. This platform’s obsolescence is fairly
obvious.
Much like East Germany, Poland only received a few BMP-2s before the
fall of communism, which were sold off after about a decade. Since then, Poland has failed
to field a modernized version of the BMP-1, which it attempted to do with the Puma program
in the 2000s. The BMP-1’s hopeful successor is the Borsuk or Badger, which is anticipated
to finish qualification trials some time in mid-2023 and be issued to the 16th Mechanized
Division alongside K2 main battle tanks.
As for the squad itself, they usually have
eight personnel. They’re split into a dismounted infantry element, called a Fire Team, and a
vehicle crew. The Squad Leader is also the leader of the Fire Team, and on the dismount they
pass command of the vehicle to the Crew Leader, who also acts as a Gunner-Operator on the
BMP. Doctrinally, both are meant to be NCOs. The crew further consists of
a Driver, and the most common weapon for BMP crews is the mini-Beryl — a
sub-carbine variant of Poland’s modernized AK chambered in 5.56 NATO.
The Squad
Leader has the larger rifle variant. The dismounted element also has
a machine gunner armed with a UKM-2000P — essentially a PKM converted
to fire 7.62 NATO — an assistant machine gunner, an RPG-7 gunner and their
assistant gunner, and a rifleman. It’s possible that the Rifleman is doctrinally
meant to carry a GPBO-40 underbarrel grenade launcher. But based on my conversations with
Polish servicemembers and after combing through photos of Polish exercises, it seems
to be inconsistent or unit dependent. The Poles also haven’t adopted a grenade launcher
for the MSBS Grot yet.
So units like the 7th Coastal Defense Brigade that have started the
transition are empty handed in that regard. In addition to these previous gen weapons,
the Polish are gradually transitioning to new or upgraded weapons. The most famous is
the MSBS Grot, which is replacing the Beryl, although it currently doesn’t have a sub-carbine
variant or adopted grenade launcher. Additionally, the UKM-2000P is getting modifications
that include a new stock and a picatinny rail for mounting optics. The most common
of which is the Eotech holographic sight. Further, there is talk that the RPG-7
will eventually be replaced by the M72 EC Mk.1. Although since the M72 is a single
munition, and the RPG-7 is a reusable system, it is questionable whether they’ll be able
to fully phase out the RPG-7 anytime soon or if the weapons allocation will be changed up.
Like spreading out multiple M72s across a squad.
Three of these squads make up the core of a
platoon. They’re accompanied by a Support Squad, which is commanded by the Assistant Platoon Leader typically ranking Junior Warrant
Officer. The squad has 8 personnel, and serves an LM-60 60mm mortar and a GSBO-40
standalone grenade launcher, plus a Combat Medic. Meanwhile, in 1st Squad’s vehicle, the
Platoon Leader acts as vehicle commander and also has a Radio Operator to
accompany them on the dismount. Three platoons form the close combat
element of the mechanized or motorized company.
Company leadership, including
the company commander and their deputy, ride in their own individual combat
vehicles with 10 people between them. The Company Chief, equivalent to a first
sergeant or company sergeant major, leads the 6-man logistics team. They set
up company logistics resupply points, like for ammo, fuel and water, and
are equipped with two off-road trucks. The Company Technician meanwhile leads
an armored recovery squad, tasked with recovering stuck vehicles and performing
limited maintenance work. In BMP units, they’re doctrinally meant to have an armored
recovery variant of the MT-LB called the WPT, while motorized units are meant to have the
technical reconnaissance variant of the Rosomak. Motorized Infantry Platoons are similar.
Although equipped with the wheeled KTO Rosomak, armed with a 30mm autocannon and the option for
SPIKE missiles.
They ironically have a superior IFV in almost every way to the mechanized troops.
However, doctrinally, their squads lose the last rifleman and instead have a dedicated vehicle
commander in addition to the gunner. This is enabled by the Rosomak’s 2-man turret, and is a
departure from the old Soviet way of IFV crewing. One assumes that when the Borsuk replaces
the BMP-1, they’ll adopt a similar approach. Additionally at the platoon-level, the
Support Squad serves a tripod-mounted Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher rather than
the stand-alone single-shot launcher. But otherwise they doctrinally still
have a 60mm mortar and medic. Four companies form the core
of an infantry battalion, led and supported by a Command Company that
includes command and logistics elements, traffic control, a recon platoon and a sniper
squad with 4x .50 caliber sniper rifles. Battalions include a Support Company,
whose 2 mortar platoons ideally provide the battalion with a total of 8x M120
Rak 120mm self-propelled mortars, and whose anti-tank platoon provides
6 SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles.
They further have a Logistics Company, providing supply and maintenance
support, plus a medical section. In total, each battalion would ideally have 56
BMPs or Rosomaks and in the area of 760 soldiers, although during wartime mass mobilization might
see the filling out of understrength units. But at the brigade-level there is more variation.
Each brigade generally had 3 maneuver battalions before 2022. Armored Cavalry Brigades and
Armored Brigades, which are tank heavy, had 2 tank battalions and 1 mechanized battalion on
BMP-1, while depending on the context, mechanized brigades could 2 mechanized and 1 tank battalion,
or 3 mechanized or motorized battalions, or more. However, there is a plan to bring brigades to
a 4 battalion standard and some brigades have already made the transition. Based on comments
made by the Polish defense ministry in the past, this could mean 4 motorized battalions for lighter brigades and 2 tank and 2 mechanized
infantry battalions for heavier brigades. But regardless, brigades are supported by
a Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion, like in other countries to the east literally called a
“division”. Their three batteries each serve eight 2S1 122mm SPGs, for a total of 24 tubes in the
battalion.
Mechanized Brigades with mainly wheeled Rosomak battalions, like the 17th Mechanized
Brigade, have Dana 152mm wheeled SPGs in lieu. And then there’s an Air Defense Battalion, with a minimum of 24 Grom man-portable
air defense systems or MANPADS. Armored brigades also have 12 Biała self-propelled
anti-aircraft guns, while mechanized brigades have 24 truck-mounted combo systems that
include 23mm cannons and Grom AA missiles. Rounding it out, brigades
have a reconnaissance company, engineer battalion and logistics battalion. At the highest level, three maneuver brigades
generally make-up a division, although in the future it is planned for divisions to be based on
4 maneuver brigades of 4 maneuver battalions each. Poland’s four maneuver divisions were its
largest tactical units before 2023. The 11th Armoured Cavalry Division in the southwest,
the 12th Mechanised Division in the northwest, the 16th Mechanized Division in the
northeast near the border with Kaliningrad, and the 18th Mechanized Division in the
east and southeast. The 18th Mechanized was the newest division, formed in 2018
to fill the gap left by the disbandment of the 1st Mechanized in 2011.
It just
reached operational capability in 2021, so its units are underdeveloped. In response to
the ongoing conflict, Poland announced its plan to form two new divisions as well. One will be the
1st Legions Infantry Division in the northeast, partially formed from units of the 16th Division.
It will cover the area between the 16th and 18th. In the future, the goal is for the 18th Mechanized
to operate the M1A2 Abrams and the 16th Mechanized to operate the K2PL. The 16th Mechanized
currently operates PT-91 Twardy battalions, which are likely subjects of weapons transfer in
the future. The 1st Legions Infantry meanwhile will operate a mix of K2s and Abrams, while the
Leopard 2A5s that were in the 18th Mechanized will be shifted to the 11th Armored Cavalry
Division near the border with Germany.
This division already operates Leopard 2PLs and Leopard
2A4s waiting to be upgraded to the 2PL standard. I should mention that in my Polish
tank video I made a while back, I erroneously stated that the
12th Mechanized Division had a PT-91 battalion. They actually had a
battalion of T-72M1Rs, which are now gone. Polish maneuver brigades are currently
supported by a divisional Artillery Regiment. Artillery Regiments generally have 4
artillery battalions, sporting a mix of 152mm howitzers like the Dana and or 155mm like the
Krab, as well as rocket artillery battalions.
Also in the division is an Anti-Aircraft
Regiment, featuring Osa, Kub and more Grom surface-to-air missiles; as well as a
Logistics Regiment and Command Battalion. Before closing out I just want to thank
my Patrons. My videos haven’t been doing too hot recently and Patreon gives me an
added layer of financial stability. And now that you have an idea of Poland’s infantry
units, check out this earlier video where we cover Poland’s tank unit structure from the
platoon to brigade. We’ll see you over there..
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