The Polish Air Force (Polish: Siły Powietrzne, literally "Air Forces") is a military branch of the Polish Armed Forces. In 2013 it consisted of roughly 24,940 military personnel and about 533 aircraft, distributed among 15 bases throughout Poland. The Polish Air Force is currently one of the most advanced in Central Europe, equipped since 2008 with the Saab JAS 39 Gripen jet fighter.
The Polish Air Force can trace its origins to the months following the end of World War I in 1918. Following the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, parts of the Polish Air Force were destroyed, although many of its pilots were able to fly their aircraft to Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia or Sweden where their aircraft were impounded and pilots interned in detention camps. Nevertheless, most managed to escape and continue fighting throughout World War II in air squadrons, first in France, then in Britain.
Aircraft Inventory[]
Combat Aircraft[]
Saab-39C Gryf x 122 (Multirole Fighter)
Blackburn-10 Korsarz x 42 (Attack Aircraft)
PZL-230 Skorpion x 56 (CAS Aircraft)
AWACS Aircraft[]
Saab 340 AEW&C x 4 (AWACS Aircraft) - 2 more on order
Transport Aircraft[]
- Antonov An-132 x 18 (Transport Aircraft)
- PZL-28M Bryza x 32 (Transport Aircraft)
- CASA-295M Perswazja x 22 (Transport Aircraft)
- /// CCDM Cygnus x 4 (VIP Transport)
- Dassault Falcon 7X x 2 (VIP Transport)
- DHC-9 Bizon x 6 (Tactical Airliftr)
Trainer Aircraft[]
- PZL-11R Iskra x 50
- PZL-130TC Orlik x 50
- Diamond-20C Zaćmienie x 6
- Diamond-42 x 4 (Multi-engine Trainer)
- Guimbal-2 Koza x 10 (Rotorcraft Trainer)
Helicopters[]
- / Westland-101 Merlin - 28
- Mil-2RL Wąż - 72
- PZL-3T Sokół - 32
- PZL-4 Puszczyk - 32
