Twenty years after the fall of the Iron curtain and ten years after Poland’s entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) there is still an amazing quantity of Russian-built combat aircraft flying in their Polish Air Force. Poland operates the biggest Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 FULCRUM fleet inside NATO and is also the last Sukhoi Su-22 FITTER user. During a press tour organized by the Polish Air Force Checksix had the chance for a closer look at these aircrafts at their home base. The Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskie, (Air Force of the Polish Republic – the correct name since July 1st, 2004), with its 36,000 soldiers is after the army the second biggest armed force of the country. The structure of the flying units, allocated over a total 22 bases is as follows:

1 Skrzydło Lotnictwa Taktycznego in Świdwin (1st Wing of Tactical Air Force)
2 Skrzydło Lotnictwa Taktycznego in Poznań (2nd Wing of Tactical Air Force)
3 Skrzydło Lotnictwa Transportowego in Powidz (3rd Wing of Transport Aviation)
4 Skrzydło Lotnictwa Szkolnego in Dęblin (4th Wing of Training Aviation)
1 Baza Lotnicza in Warschau (1st Air Base – Special VIP Transport)

The trip started in Malbork, in the very far North East of Poland near the Russian border next to Kaliningrad. Located there is the 22nd Air Base with its 41.elt (Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Polish for Tactical Air Squadron), assigned to the 1st Wing of the Tactical Air Force in Świdwin. After a friendly welcome by Air Base Commander Colonel Robert DZIADCZYKOWSKI and Deputy Commander Major Artur KALKO they gave a comprehensive presentation covering the history of the air base and the squadron as well as their actual aircraft – the MiG-29. The MiG-29 is a multi-role combat aircraft of the third generation with an impressive thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately 1.1: 1, which allows incredible flying maneuvers. A unique feature of this aircraft is the locking of the air intakes under the fuselage. Due to their low arrangement there is a certain amount of risk in absorbing foreign objects during take-off from unprepared airstrips or streets. Therefore the MiG-29 has on top of the forward wings small intakes to provide the engines during take-off with air. Each of the two Klimov RD-33 Turbofan engines can generate up to 81.4kN thrust, which allows the “FULCRUM” (NATO codename) a top speed of Mach 2.35. 

The Polish Air Force got its first MiG-29 in 1989/1990. Twelve jets were delivered, including three MiG-29UB trainers. In the guise of a swap with the Czech Republic (PZL W-3A „Sokol“ helicopter for MiG-29 fighter) in 1995, ten more aircraft were acquired (nine singe-seat fighter plus one double-seat trainer). Finally in 2004 Poland acquired 22 MiG-29’s from Germany. These former East German/Bundesluftwaffe jets were bought for a symbolic price of one Euro per aircraft. Fourteen jets were overhauled and modified in the maintenance hall of Bydgoszcz. The remaining aircraft were only used for spare parts donation. To reach NATO standard all aircraft in service were modified regarding IFF-system, TACAN, VHF / UHF radio and an integrated GPS.

The Polish pilots are quite happy with their MiG’s and they especially praise the amazing flying performance, the electro-optical search and tracking system “IRSTS” and the helmet mounted system which can control radar, “IRSTS” and the war head of the missiles. The armament contains beside the state-of-the-art close range missile AA-11A “Archer”, the AA-10A “ALAMO” and the elder AA-8 “APHID” missiles. In a dogfight for targets up to a range of 1.200m the integrated 30mm canon GSch-30.1 can be used. The disadvantages of the MiG are the old avionics, the lack of fuel and the – compared to modern Western combat aircrafts like the F-16 – high workload for the pilots. During the flight a MiG driver has to make continuously manual corrections, whereas in an F-16 this job is done by the fly-by-wire control of the airborne computer. Main task of the Polish MiG-29 is air defense, but not only of the national airspace. For the Baltic air policing mission of  NATO to guard the airspace over the three Baltic allies a contingent of the 41.elt was transferred twice to Lithuania's 1st Air Base in Zokniai / Šiauliai International Airport. Besides the 41.elt in Malbork the 1.elt on the 23rd Air Base in Mińsk Mazowiecki is also flying the “Fulcrum”. It is planned to keep them in service at least until 2012-2015. There are rumors to use them for an even longer period, but this will necessitate an extensive modernization program if it is to be realised.

On the second day we visited Świdwin, located 200 km away from Malbork in the North West of the country. The two squadrons, 7.elt and 40.elt of the local 21st Air Base are equipped with Su-22M-4 and Su-22UM-3K fighter bomber aircraft. Świdwin is furthermore home base of the 1st CSAR group, using PZL W-3 „Sokol“ helicopter and also PZL M-28B „Bryza“ utility aircraft can be found here. The Su-22 was the main attack aircraft of nearly all Warsaw Pact nations. Several hundreds of “Fitters” were in service in the Air Forces of Bulgaria, GDR, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. After the breakdown of the Warsaw Pact the circumstances of the Eastern European nations and its armed force changed dramatically. In the first years their economies had to withstand great change and upheaval. The financial problems of the government led to restricted defense budgets, whereas the Air Forces were especially hit hard. Air Bases were closed, the number of aircraft and crews were reduced and also the flying hours of the pilots were decreased to an absolute minimum. So, it isn’t amazing that the once numerous and common MiGs and Sukhois have disappeared and that nowadays the Su-22 can only be found in Poland.

The development of the Su-22 started in the 1960ies based on the design of the Su-7. The first versions of the Su-7 used fixed wings but with the Su-7IG swing-wings were introduced which increased agility, range and weapons payload. This design concept was the beginning of the famous Su-17 “Fitter” family and its export versions Su-20 and Su-22. Compared to other aircraft with variable geometry the “Fitter” can only adjust their outboard wings. This allows carrying heavy loads on the inboard wings, which couldn’t be done by a MiG23BN/MiG-27. The Su-17 was improved continuously regarding avionics, engine and fuel capacity. The last version is the Su-17M4 (export name Su-22M4), which was built until 1990. On ten hard points a great range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons including laser-guided bombs and ECM/reconnaissance pods up to four tons payload can be carried.

Poland got its first Su-22M4 in the year 1984. From the total of 90 Su-22M4 and 20 Su-22UM-3K delivered aircrafts more than 48 are still in service, which were last updated in 2003. The “Fitters” of the Polish Air Force are divided into three tactical squadrons on two air bases. Beside the 7.elt and 40.elt which are in Świdwin the 8.elt is located on the 12th Air Base in Miroslawiec. All three squadrons are part of the 1st Wing of the Tactical Air Force located in Świdwin. Main task of the Su-22 is the support of the Polish ground troops. As part of the NATO’s Rapid Response Force they are also designated for out-of-area missions and so they can often be seen on foreign military exercises. During our base visit the squadrons were highly operational because they were taking part in a national exercise. A line-up of eight Su-22 armed with FAB 500 bombs was waiting for their mission on the huge apron.

The air base in Świdwin was built in the typical old Soviet-style. One single runway, a large amount of shelters on its ends and an apron, which could accommodate the complete squadron. On the end of the taxiway the jets undertook their last check by the ground crew to confirm no loss of fuel or hydraulic fluid. During the guided tour around the base, we were able to have a closer look into the maintenance hangars. On the torque stand a special aircraft could be noticed. It was the Su-22UM-3K of the 6.elt in Tiger camouflage. In the meantime this squadron was displaced to Poznań and now flies the F-16C Block 52. Although the Polish Su-22 is after its 25 years in service a still impressive attack aircraft due to the regular updates, it couldn’t match with the newly acquired F-16C Block 52. Within the next few years (2012 is planned) the last “Fitter” of  NATO will be withdrawn from service and so another legendary aircraft of the Soviet aviation industry will have vanished from the European sky.

Checksix wants to thank the Press Office of the Polish Air Force for the informative program and also the local officers on the air bases, who were patient to satisfy the wishes of the numerous pressmen.

Christian Spreitzer / CHK 6