Frag Out! Magazine

used it in numerous roles, from cargo, MEDEVAC, rescue, ones tasked with creating smoke screens, up to attack variants. Based on that experience work began on a new helicopter, in the 1970s - the Soviets wanted a new, bigger plat- form to be born. It was designated W-3 Sokół. It was expected to be designed for both military and civil applications. Heavier platforms were procured solely from the USSR. These included the mul- ti-role Mi-8 Hip (replaced by the Mi-17 later on), naval Mi-14s, or Mi-24 attack helicopters. That procurement was qu- antitatively limited. In 1990 Poland ope- rated 343 military helicopters, including 257 Mi-2. The Armed Forces operated 31 Mi-24s, 37 Mi-8/17s, and 13 Mi-14s. The Armed Forces also took over 3 Mi-6 he- licopters in 1986, coming from the civil user (construction sector). They were used as flying cranes at the great socia- list construction sites, while the Armed Forces used them for airlift. Two Sokół helicopters commissioned in the Navy in 1990 were a wind of change. Organization-wise, three aviation regi- ments were the core of the Polish mili- tary aviation back then. 49th and 56th Combat Helicopter regiments operating Mi-24 and Mi-2 helicopter platforms. Each of those regiments consisted of at- tack helicopter squadrons, and Mi-2 mul- ti-role helicopter squadrons, assigned to the individual Divisions of the land com- ponent. 37th Transport Helicopter Regi- ment operated the heavier Mi-8/17 and Mi-6 rotary-wing aircraft. These three regiments were tasked with supporting the operations undertaken by the land forces. Poland was tied to the Warsaw Pact doctrine-wise, and the helicopter was viewed as a flying IFV. That was the genesis of the armed Mi-8 variants, and also the Mi-24 which was designed as a „flying BMP". Poland could not afford to fully implement that vision. Hence, most of the missions, tank hunting included, were assigned to the light Mi-2 platform. Furthermore, the passenger-variant of the Mi-8 was operated by the „gover- nment" 36th Special Airlift Regiment, while liaison/airlift squadrons working for the military district commands, or tactical aviation units operated the li- ght Mi-2 platform. The Navy, meanwhi- le, had one regiment at its disposal (7th Special Aviation Regiment), along with a single squadron (18th Liaison Aviation Squadron), and both units operated ro- tary- and fixed-wing assets. The Military Units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs included the 104th Aviation Regiment operating Mi-2 and Mi-8/17 helicopters, to support the Police. Sometimes those aircraft wore the unit designation. The 47th Training Helicopter Regiment ope- rated the Mi-2. During wartime that re- giment was able to act as a medical, or liaison element. In the 1990s, a major organizational and equipment transformation happened. The Land Forces still had 2 attack heli- copter regiments, while in naval aviation a separate element was formed in 1995 - the Navy Aviation Brigade, which still exists today, but is embedded in a diffe- rent structure. The Air Force/Air Defen- se component was gradually reducing the number of Liaison-Airlift squadrons down to two units, and their mission sets were expanded with SAR. Ultimately, the liaison squadrons disappeared and were replaced by SAR (ASAR) groups and the Special Operations Squadron. The most important, and the most am- bitious of the initiatives was the intent to create a complete air-mobile division - the 25th Air Cavalry Division. The core of that unit was to be formed by regiments that brought together infantry elements and helicopters. Those regiments were formed after the transformation of the following units: 37th Regiment, 66th Tra- ining Aviation Regiment, and 47th Tra- ining Helicopter Regiment. Ultimately, after a couple of years, the division was transformed into a brigade. Apart from typical land units, the element also inc- luded aviation units. Through a gradual transformation, the final division of roles and tasks was cre- ated, between the branches of the Armed Forces, and their helicopters. In the Land Forces (Army) two brigades are present. 25th Air Cavalry Brigade is an air-mobile infantry unit with its two organic helicop- ter squadrons - their primary task is to provide air mobility and support for the infantry. The 1st Army Aviation Brigade brings together two air bases - 49th and 56th (former regiments), carrying out support tasks for the land forces. The specific nature of those forces is that each of those brigades also includes spe- cial purpose components working for the Armed Forces as a whole. For instance, the CSAR squadron is embedded within the 56th Base structure, while the 25th Brigade includes a MEDEVAC unit and a SIGINT/ELINT helicopter squadron. In the Navy, the Navy Aviation Brigade operates helicopters. The unit consists of two bases: 44th and 43rd. The 43rd base operates SAR and embarked ASW www.fragoutmag.com

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