Polish Special Forces

Special Troops Command
Special Troops Command
Wojska Specjalne
	Military eagle
Founded	2007
Country	Poland
Type	Special forces command
Size	3 841 soldiers (2023)
Part of	Polish Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Kraków
Engagements	Operation Uphold Democracy; War in Afghanistan; Iraq War; Syrian civil war; • Personnel recovery; • Emergency evacuation
Commanders
Chief of the General Staff	Gen. broni Rajmund Andrzejczak
General Commander	Gen. broni Jarosław Mika
Special Operations Component Commander	Gen. bryg. Sławomir Drumowicz
Insignia
Flag

The Special Troops Command (Polish: Wojska Specjalne) is the special forces command of the Polish Armed Forces (SZ RP). The command was formed in 2007 and is the fourth military branch of the SZ RP.

Composition

The Special Troops Command (Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych) is based in Kraków and comprises:

Jednostka Wojskowa GROM, or GROM, based in Warsaw and Gdańsk
Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów, or JWK, based in Lubliniec
Jednostka Wojskowa Formoza, or JW FORMOZA, is based in Gdynia
Jednostka Wojskowa Agat, or AGAT, based in Gliwice
Jednostka Wojskowa NIL, or NIL, is based in Kraków
Special Operations Aviation Unit based in Powidz; only operational command it is part of the Air Force.

Structure

GROM - Operational-Maneuver Response Group "Cichociemni" (Silent Unseen)

Command and Support Staff – in Warsaw
A Squadron (ZB A) – Land Element located in Warsaw
B Squadron (ZB B) – Maritime Element located in Gdańsk
C Squadron (ZB C) – Specialty unknown located in Warsaw
Logistic and Security Unit - located in Warsaw

JW Komandosów - Army Commandos

Command and Security – insignia of the Batalion Zośka from the Polish Home Army
A Squadron (ZB A) – insignia of the Batalion Miotła from the Polish Home Army and insignia of PSBS
B Squadron (ZB B) – Combined Operations insignia of the No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando unit and its No. 6 Troop (Polish)
C Squadron (ZB C) – insignia of the Batalion Parasol from the Polish Home Army
D Squadron (ZB D) – set up in 2016
Information Support Group
Special Forces Training Center

JW Formoza – name comes from the colloquial name of the units base, the post-German torpedo house in Gdynia, called "Formoza".^[3]

Special Operations Squadron - at least six special operations sections and a base unit

JW AGAT – formed on the basis of the Special Branch of the Military Police in Gliwice.^[4] Named after "Agat" (abbreviation of anty-gestapo) special unit of the Polish Home Army

HQ Staff and Command Group
"A" Company
"B" Company
"C" Company
Combat Support Team
Logistics Security Team
Medical Security Group

JW NIL – Support Unit of Command and Security of Special Forces^[5]

HQ Staff
Command Team
Logistics Security Team
Information Support Team
Medical Security Group

Special Operations Aviation Unit – based in Powidz

HQ staff
Aerospace Group - equipped with 8 Mi-17, including 4 Mi-17-1W and 4 Sikorsky S-70i^[6]^[7] all helicopters are to be equipped with M134Gs^[8]
Maintenance Group

Gallery

GROM operator conducting a port security exercise
Polish GROM and US Navy SEALs conducting joint field exercises
GROM unit conducting ship seizure training
GROM operator conducting a pistol training exercise

Equipment

Weaponry

Name	Type	Notes
Standard firearms of the Polish Armed Forces
Kbs wz. 1996 Beryl	Assault rifle	Most commonly used weapon
Pallad grenade launcher	Grenade launcher	Polish made grenade launcher, used from its introduction to the army
SWD	Sniper rifle
Sako TRG	Sniper Rifle
PKM	General purpose machine gun
UKM-2000	General purpose machine gun
Standard firearms of the Polish Special Forces
Heckler & Koch USP	Semi-auto pistol	Standard pistol in JW GROM, JW NIL and JW komandosów
Glock 17	Semi-auto pistol	Standard pistol in JW Komandosów, JW AGAT and JW NIL
SIG P226	Semi-auto pistol	Standard pistol in JW Formoza (Navy Unit)
FN Five-seven	Semi-auto pistol	Standard pistol for close protection in JW Grom
CZ Scorpion Evo 3	Submachine gun	New addition SMG for direct force operations in JW Grom
Heckler & Koch MP5	Submachine gun	Standard SMG for direct force operations in JW GROM, JW komandosów, JW Formoza and JW AGAT
FN P90	Submachine gun	Standard SMG for close protection in JW Grom
Colt M4A1	Assault rifle	Mostly supplanted the Beryl in JW GROM and JW NIL (M4A3)
Heckler & Koch HK416	Assault rifle	Assault rifle used by the Polish SOF, JW Grom, JW Komandosów, JW NIL and JW Agat. Various barrel options used (10, 14.5 and 16.5 inch). Most commonly used assault rifle of the Special Forces
Heckler & Koch AG-C/GLM	Grenade launcher	Standard under-barrel grenade launcher used with the HK416
Heckler & Koch G36	Assault rifle	Used in JW Formoza and JW GROM
Heckler & Koch AG36	Grenade launcher	Standard grenade launcher used with the G36
FN Minimi	Light machine gun	Most common light machine gun in the Polish SOF
Carl Gustav	Recoilless rifle
Other firearms
Beretta 92	Semi-auto pistol
M4 Carbine	Assault rifle	Clones made by KAC and Bushmaster
F2000	Assault rifle
M14 rifle	Battle rifle	Upgraded to EBR standard
M203	Grenade launcher
H&K MZP-1	Grenade launcher
Remington 870	Shotgun
Heckler & Koch PSG-1	Sniper rifle
Remington 700	Sniper rifle
Mauser SP66	Sniper rifle
Mauser 86	Sniper rifle
Barrett M82	Anti-material rifle

Vehicles

Name	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
HMMWV	Four-wheel drive multi-purpose vehicle	M1151A1 M1165A1	42 ?	In 2009, JW AGAT and JW Komandosów each received 15 M1151A1 vehicles. The remaining 12 vehicles, probably without Frag Kit armor but equipped with an advanced communication system, were delivered to JW GROM. Additionally, later the Special Forces Command decided to purchase an unspecified number of M1165A1 Special Ops, the so-called Ground Mobility Vehicle, i.e. a vehicle configured exclusively for the needs of special forces^[9]
Oshkosh M-ATV	MRAP	M1240A1	45^[10]	Donated by the United States.^[11]
Toyota	Four-wheel drive vehicle	Land Cruiser Hilux^[12]		Used by GROM and 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów (1st Special Commando's Regiment)
Land Rover Defender	Four-wheel drive vehicle	90 110	4^[13] 6	Used by JW GROM and JW Formoza
Mercedes-Benz	Four-wheel drive vehicle Truck	G-class Atego 1323AK	6 10^[14]	The Polish Armed forces currently operate a total of 140 G-class vehicles.^[15] The Land forces operate 121 GD 290s and MB290GD WDs.^[14] The military police uses 13 GD 290s.^[14]
Tarpan Honker	4x4	Honker Skorpion 3 special version	Used by JW komandosów	Polish made off-road vehicles, best variants are powered with Polish Andoria engines
Defenture VECTOR	Four-wheel drive multi-purpose vehicle	Defenture GRF 4x4	2 option of ordering additional units^[16]	Purchased by Grom. Defenture GRF vehicles will join the fleet of the Polish Tier 1 unit.^[17]
Star	Truck	Star 1444 (MAN TGM 18.280 BB)	1^[14]	Polish made trucks, now modernised to adjust to new weaponry and specifications
Volvo	Truck	Volvo FM 8x4 Volvo FM 6x6 Volvo FM 4x4	10^[14] 11^[14] 2^[14]
Yamaha	Motorbike	Yamaha XT660	unknown	Used in JW NIL
Polaris	Quad	Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI	unknown	Used in all Polish SOF units
Range Rover	SUV	Range Rover Armoured	unknown	Used in Polish SOF Command

Aircraft

Name	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
S-70i Black Hawk	Medium-lift transport/utility helicopter	S-70i	8/8	4 on order, 2 scheduled for delivery in 2023, remaining in 2024.^[18] In 2019 7 S-70i Black Hawks were ordered and received. 4 to Special Forces and 3 to the Police.^[18]

Unmanned aerial vehicle


Name	Type	In service	Notes
FlyEye	Small UAV	44
RQ-21 Blackjack	Small UAV	10^[19]
ScanEagle	Small UAV	10	As a result of the contract concluded in 2010 by the United States Department of Defense with Insitu, the Polish Army received one ScanEagle Block D UAV set free of charge, containing a ground system and 10 air platforms. Its user is the Jednostka Wojskowa NIL
Aeronautics Orbiter	Mini UAV	13^[20]	The first set of mini Aeronautics Orbiter class UAVs (4 flying devices) was purchased in October 2005 for the Jednostka Wojskowa GROM, the next three sets (3 flying devices each) were purchased in February 2007
Mayfly	Mikro UAV	24^[21]
Black Hornet 3	Nano UAV	40 sets^[22]

Rank insignia

Officers

NATO Code	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Special Forces
Polish name	Generał¹	Generał broni	Generał dywizji	Generał brygady	Pułkownik	Podpułkownik	Major	Kapitan	Porucznik	Podporucznik
Abbreviation	gen.	gen. broni	gen. dyw.	gen. bryg.	płk	ppłk	mjr	kpt.	por.	ppor.
¹ Until 2004 Generał armii

Enlisted

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4		OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Special Forces
Polish name	Starszy chorąży sztabowy	Starszy chorąży	Chorąży	Młodszy chorąży	Starszy sierżant	Sierżant	Plutonowy	Starszy kapral	Kapral	Starszy szeregowy	Szeregowy
Abbreviation	st. chor. szt.	st. chor.	chor.	mł. chor.	st. sierż.	sierż.	plut.	st. kpr.	kpr.	st. szer.	szer.