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However, its air defense and reconnaissance capabilities are small. Its peacetime mission is to secure coastal waters, prevent smuggling, and intercept unauthorized entries and exits.

The naval air arm has a personnel of 1,500 officers and enlisted men, of whom approximately 105 are pilots, and an inventory of 66 aircraft in operational units. These are organized into a fighter regiment equipped with FRESCO (MiG-17) and FAGOT (MiG-15) aircraft and a reconnaissance unit equipped with BEAGLES (Il-28). Both units are stationed at Cewice. In addition, there is a helicopter squadron equipped with 10 HOUND (Mi-4) helicopters at Darlowko.

E. Air and Air Defense Forces (S)

The air force is the largest of the Eastern European Communist air forces. In air defense under the Warsaw Pact, the air forces, together with the Czechoslovak and East German Air Forces, represents a formidable northern air barrier between the Soviet Union and Western Europe.

The Air Force has a dual mission - air defense of Poland's territorial boundaries and coastal waters and support of the ground forces. Aircraft have a good capability for intercepting and destroying intruders in clear weather. Training for all-weather intercept is good, and capability for this type of operation at medium to high altitudes is being steadily enhanced as more all-weather FISHBED (MiG-21) aircraft are added to the inventory. Ground support capability is good. Jet fighter aircraft allocated to the ground support mission include FAGOTS (MiG-15), FISHBEDS, and FITTERS (Su-7), and a large number of FRESCO (MiG-17) aircraft that have been modified to improve their capability for support of the ground forces. The pre-operational training schedule has been reorganized to provide a higher caliber of pilot candidates for entrance into combat units. About half of the larger airfields are in the northwest quarter of the country.

Surface-to-air missile (SAM) forces are a major operational component of the Polish Home Territory Air Defense Troops. Along with fighter interceptors, anti-aircraft artillery, and radar units, SAM forces make up an air defense corps which constitutes an air defense zone. There are three air defense zones in Poland, that are the principal operational echelons of the Polish air defense. SAM weapons are assuming increasing importance in Polish air defense and are deployed for defense of targets of national importance.

1. Organization

In November 1967 the Minister of National Defense announced the formation of the Air Force Command with headquarters at Poznan. The new command assumed the responsibilities previously performed by the Main Air Force Inspector and the Tactical Aviation Command. The Air Force Command probably has the responsibility to support all Air Force operational units in training, administrative, and personnel matters. In addition, logistical, transportation, meteorological, and other support services are under the supervision of this command. The Air Force Command does not have operational authority over the Commander of the Home Air Defense Forces.

The Air Force is organized with operational responsibility divided between the Commander of Air Defense and the Commander of the Air Force Command. The Commander of Air Defense is subordinate to the Main Inspectorate of the National Territorial Defense, while the Commander of the Air Force Command is directly responsible to the Minister of National Defense.

The Air Defense Command is an integrated force of fighter aviation, surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, and early warning and ground-controlled interception radar units. It has eight fighter regiments, eight SA-2 regiments (36 sites), and at least two SA-3 regiments (nine sites).

2. Strength, Composition, and Disposition

Total personnel strength of the Air Force is 55,000 officers (including 1,500 pilots) and enlisted men. Included are personnel assigned to the combat regiments as well as to the transport and helicopter units.

Organizationally the Air Force is composed of a total of 19 combat regiments - eight in the Air Defense Command and 11 in the Air Force Command. These regiments are distributed strategically among airfields concentrated in the Baltic and western peripheral areas. In addition, the Soviet tactical air regiments are based on the extreme south-central and northwestern parts of the country and form an outer ring of defense against attack from the west. The Air Force has about

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