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The Polish Navy’s proven ability to adapt to a changing world and its unique capabilities specific to the Baltic Sea make it a prime candidate for NATO.
For more than 40 years, Europe was divided into two opposite political blocks represented by the Warsaw Pact and NATO. Poland belongs to Eastern Europe, so its armed forces—with those of East Germany, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and the Soviet Union—formed the Warsaw Pact for political and military unity of decision. Other than the Soviet Union, only Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Poland had navies. Thus, the Warsaw Pact navies as an allied force could operate only on the Black Sea and the Baltic.
The Joint Baltic Fleet included the Polish and East German navies but was comprised primarily of the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Consequently, the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet, located in Kaliningrad, determined the tactics and the organization of the smaller navies. During joint operations, Polish participation was a matter of political symbolism rather than military significance. In addition, shadowed by the Soviet fleet, both the Polish and East German navies developed their own specialities, which resulted in each developing its own type of ships.
East Germany was a small country, but its navy was larger than that of Poland. In the 1980s, East Germany had three Koni-class frigates and 16 Parchim-I-class corvettes; thus, its antisubmarine forces were very strong considering that the East German Navy in 1988 consisted only of 16,000 men, of whom only 4,700 were assigned to forces afloat.
All Parchim-class corvettes were built in East Germany at Peenewerft Shipyard, Wolgast, between 1981 and 1985. Such a strong antisubmarine force, according to Warsaw Pact military experts, would prevent NATO’s submarines—especially West German and Danish—from entering into the central and southern Baltic. Thus, it was the East German Navy’s mission to protect shipping lines along the Polish and Soviet coasts.
When the Polish Navy was a member of the Warsaw Pact, it had 23 Polnocny- class medium landing ships and 15 personnel-landing craft. The large number of naval amphibious ships, based on the western coast of Poland, were able to embark the entire 7th Sea Landing Division. In the 1970s, Polnocny-class LSMs were one of the best amphibious ship classes in the world. They were equipped with two twin 30-mm antiaircraft guns and two 24-tube 140-mm rocket launchers for landing support. In addition, Polish shipyards specialized in amphibious ship construction; North Shipyard in Gdansk built Polnocny-class LSMs for the Polish Navy and the larger Ropucha-class tank landing ship for the Soviet Navy. In the 1980s, Poland started to design a new type of landing ship to replace the old Polnocny-class. According to Warsaw
The Pirun (422) is a patrol boat in the Sassnitz class, which will replace the old Osa-class guided missile boats as part of the Polish Navy’s current reform program.
Pact experts, amphibious operations were the main task for the Polish Navy.
When the political situation changed and the Warsaw Pact disintegrated, the Polish Navy was not prepared for the new situation. New military doctrine and the necessity of protecting Polish interests at sea required that naval experts start to prepare a new concept for Polish Navy forces. The challenge was not easy. The existing Polish Navy had developed disproportionately. As a result, too many things must be changed. What once was good for a member of the Warsaw Pact has now become a disadvantage. These are the most important things that the Polish Navy should change:
> Polish Navy forces should reduce the number of landing craft.
> Many Polish ships (i.e., the Kashin- class destroyer Warszawa, Kilo- and Foxtrot-class submarines, and Tarantul- and Osa-class guided-missile boats) and combat systems are Russian-made, which prolongs Poland’s dependency on Russia.
> The Polish naval air force no longer has enough aircraft to meet requirements. In accordance with Warsaw Pact plans, Russian naval air forces had been responsible for air support for all naval activities on the Baltic Sea.
► The Polish Navy requires additional modem light strike forces and modem antisubmarine ships and air forces.
>• More Polish officers should become familiar with foreign languages, particularly English, German, and French. In earlier times, almost every officer had to know Russian, because many technical manuals were written in Russian and because Russian was the language of choice during allied exercises.
Knowledge of the Baltic Sea is key to understanding the Polish Navy’s present situation. The Baltic is a typical inland sea with a total area of 163,050 square miles. The main axis runs approximately southwest to northeast; the length from Kiel to Haparanda at the northern extremity of the Gulf of Bothnia is 1,056 miles. The average width is about 124 miles, and the mean depth is 184 feet, although more than 50% of the sea has a depth less than 164 feet. The large central basin, however, surrounds Gotland and shows soundings of as much as 1,539 feet. The Polish coast line is 328 miles long and is without creeks or small islands. In every way, the conditions of the Baltic Sea affect the tactics and structure of the Polish Navy.
A study of the history of naval warfare in the Baltic Sea during World War II shows the importance of mine warfare. Mines can be used during defensive and offensive operations and can protect indigenous shipping while posing a threat
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to enemy shipping. Even if a navy has a potential mine-laying capability, a potential aggressor must carry out time-consuming mine-countermeasure operations. The Polish Navy has five Lublin-class landing ship-minelayers, which were designed for landing operations but reclassified as LCT/minelayers. In addition, Polish minesweepers can carry mines.
The small area of the Baltic Sea also makes naval air forces a lethal threat to ships. Land-based air forces can cover more than 70% of the Baltic. Guided missile-equipped small combatants are another important element in the region. Their small size, high speed, and maneuverability are very effective in coastal waters. Missile boats also are popular on the Baltic. Six of the nine Baltic navies have more than 150 guided missile- or torpedo-equipped small combatants that are armed with 700 surface missiles.
The Polish Navy is in the process of reform. Until 1991, three special navy squadrons carried out coast guard operations. In 1991, these squadrons were subordinated to the Maritime Frontier Guard Headquarters. Typical coast guard missions include: control of Polish territorial waters and economic exclusion zone, protection of Polish fishing zone, protection against illegal trade and drug smuggling, environmental protection, and shipping inspection.
The reform program includes modernization of light strike forces. The old Osa-I-class guided missile boats are being replaced by new Sassnitz-class patrol boats. These units, however, have no surface-to-surface missiles, because the program was delayed by a lack of money. The rebuilding of naval air forces began with the modernization of the search-and- rescue and antisubmarine helicopter inventory. The old Russian helicopters are being replaced by Polish-made W-3 Sokol helicopters.
The basic mission of the Polish Navy is to counter a sea offensive against Poland and to defend Polish sovereignty over its national sea space and economic zone. The Polish Navy has approximately 120 ships and 19,000 personnel. Conscripts still constitute the greater part of crew members, but the number of professionals is increasing continuously. Such forces could not conduct power projection, but the fleet is able to defend Poland’s sea sovereignty.
Poland’s ability to be self-sufficient and its willingness to cooperate with other countries are the reasons why it desires to join NATO and considers the “Partnership for Peace” effort to be so important. During the last two years, the Polish Navy experienced increased cooperation with other navies, particularly the U.S. Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Polish ships twice participated in BALTOPS exercises, in addition to other bilateral naval exercises with the Dutch and French navies. On occasion, ships from other navies have visited Poland, and Polish ships have visited foreign countries. The personnel exchange program also strengthens Poland’s ties with NATO navies. However, Poland must surmount many difficulties if it wants to join NATO. Its Navy must adopt Western standards for arms equipment and should be familiar with Western procedures.
Poland also has several benefits to offer NATO if it joins. For example, modem hydrographic Polish survey and research ships have experienced crews and can perform valuable missions throughout the Baltic. Polish Navy salvage and search-and-rescue ships could provide security for submarines and diving exercises in the Baltic. Polish minesweepers and minelayers could participate in joint exercises. And Polish Tarantul-I-class guided-missile patrol combatants and Kilo-class submarines could provide new tactical opportunities during NATO exercises.
Lieutenant Commander Szubrycht is an executive officer in the Polish Navy and participated in the personnel exchange program at the Naval Amphibious School, Coronado, California.
U.S. Naval Institute
SEMINAR AT SEA
Victory in the Pacific
August 26—September 2, 1995
Cruise the lesser explored Hawaii aboard the classic American liner SS Independence
One of the finest examples of American marine architecture and engineering
The Pacific War and Iowa class battleships remembered USNI Historian Paul Stillwell Author, Battleship Arizona and soon-to-be-published Battleship Missouri
• Honolulu • Kona • Hilo • Kahului • Nawiliwili • Lahaina
• Big Bands • Elegant Dining • Congenial fellow USNI members
• Stunning shore excursions • Favorite of princesses, movie stars, and presidents
Optional 2-day hotel stay pre cruise $150 • USNI contribution (tax deductible as allowed by law) $250 Air add-ons available • Single and 3/4 passenger rates on request • Deposit $300 per person
Contact: Whole World Travel Attn: Michael Dillard
Two Logan Square, Ste. 625, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 1 -800-950-9522 or 215-561 -4545
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Proi ,'edings / March 1995