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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070031-4

Poland relies primarily on the Soviet Union for military equipment not domestically manufactured or not produced in quantities sufficient to meet its military requirements. Since 1955 the USSR has supplied equipment valued at US$2.2 billion, including a wide variety of aircraft, light and heavy tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery, electronic equipment, missiles, and combat ships. Transport vehicles and armored personnel carriers have also been purchased from Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

Although Polish shipyards are capable of producing major combatants, naval production has been limited to small submarine chasers, motor torpedo boats, minesweepers, medium landing ships, auxiliaries, and service craft. The country has relied on the Soviet Union for large combatants and missile attack boats. Ship repair facilities are adequate for the overhaul and repair of all ships in the fleet.

Poland's aircraft industry is capable of designing and producing a variety of light aircraft, but there is little capability to develop and produce heavier aircraft. Current production consists of COLT (AN-2) small transports, HOPLITE (Mi-2) turboshaft helicopters, TS-11 Iskra (SPARK) jet trainers, and PZL-101 light communications/utility aircraft. Soviet-designed jet fighter and native-designed jet trainers have also been produced. Engines have been domestically produced for many of these aircraft.

Poland, like other Communist Bloc countries, relies mainly on the Soviet Union for the development and supply of missiles. On their own, the Poles are producing the Soviet-designed AA-2 (ATOLL) air-to-air missile and the AT-3 (SAGGER) anti-tank missile.

6. Uniforms and Insignia (U/OU)

A. Uniforms

Uniforms made principally of cotton and synthetic fibers have replaced the heavy woolen fabrics previously used. Materials, styling, and components have been standardized.

Uniforms of the ground forces are divided into four basic categories: dress, service, field, and special purpose. The dress and service uniforms are brownish olive-drab in color, and the field uniforms are light green patterned with dark brown vertical lines. Airborne personnel wear a distinctive red beret. Summer and winter uniforms are of the same color, but differ in the type of material used.

Uniforms of the naval forces include the categories of full dress, semi-dress, service, and special purpose. Navy blue is the standard color for winter uniforms. White or mixed (navy blue and white) uniforms are worn during the summer season.

Air forces personnel wear uniforms which, except for the color (steel blue), are similar in style and materials as those of the ground forces.

Summer uniforms are worn from 1 May to 30 September; winter uniforms are from 1 October to 30 April.\

B. Insignia

Insignia of rank for officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel of the ground and air forces are displayed on the shoulder loops of the uniform and on headgear. Ranks are indicated by various silver-colored stars, bars, and chevrons which are attached or sewn directly on the shoulder loops and headgear without special backgrounds. General officers have a scrolled-silver hatband on the service cap, and scrolled-silver piping on shoulder loops and on the lower part of the coat sleeves. Service cap visor ornamentation includes two silver-braid stripes for generals and senior officers, and one silver-braid strip for junior officers.

The ranks of naval officers and warrant officers are indicated by gold stripes, of varying width and number, displayed on shoulder boards or on the lower part of the coat sleeves, and by gold stars affixed to the chin strip of the service cap. Flag officers display scrolled gold ornamentation on the visor of the service cap, on shoulder boards, and on the lower part of the coat sleeves, depending upon the type of uniform worn. The ranks of enlisted personnel in the lower grades are indicated by gold diagonal stripes or chevrons worn on the upper left sleeve of the uniform.

Branches of service in the ground forces are indicated by silver-colored metallic devices worn on the collars of the coat and overcoat. Distinctive colors are displayed on the cap bands of personnel in the following organizations: 1st Mechanized Division (Warsaw) - yellow; Military Police (WSW) - white; Frontier Guard (WOP) - green; Internal Defense Forces (WOW) - blue. Marshals display silver eagle devices with crossed batons on coat and overcoat colors; generals, the silver eagle devices without batons. Airborne and assault landing (amphibious) troops wear shoulder patches on the upper left sleeve of the uniform.

Naval officer corps and specialty markings are indicated by various color inserts between the sleeve rank stripes. Specialty markings for enlisted personnel consist of cloth emblems sewn on the upper left sleeve of the jumper or coat, above the insignia of rank.

Air Force personnel display silver-colored winged propeller devices on the collars of the coat and overcoat.

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070031-4