Troop show: Polish Special Forces

The Poles can not only co-host a European Championship, but also have special forces that were involved in operations in Haiti, Macedonia, Iraq, and Afghanistan after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. We at SPARTANAT want to briefly introduce you to the five units.

The probably most famous Polish special forces unit is GROM (Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego). They could probably be described as the Tier 1 unit of the Poles. In addition to military special tasks, GROM is also trained for anti-terrorism operations.

The Formoza are Poland's combat swimmers. Unlike the US SEALs, they specialize in water operations. While most other special forces use HK416, the Formoza use the G36.

The "regular" special forces unit is the JW Komandosów (JWK). The abbreviation JW (Jednostka Wojskowa = Military Unit) actually applies to all military units, but is often omitted. As the largest of the Polish special forces, the JWK is estimated to have a strength of around 250.

The JW Agat have their origins in police work. This unit was recently established and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016. Apparently, even executive officers can apply and thus have a stepping stone to the other unit parts presented.

The fifth unit is the JW Nil. Their tasks include support functions such as logistics and information/communication, including the operation of drones.

There are plans to further expand the capabilities of the Polish special forces. The most ambitious project is the creation of their own air squadron by 2019. But GROM, Formoza, and JWK are also scheduled to receive additional combat teams.

Many thanks to Tilo for links to pictures and information!