Published: 5/22/1998

The US Government has recommended that three Central European nations, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland should be allowed to join NATO by next year. This will require a number of changes to the make-up of the forces, particularly with regard to aviation. Unification with NATO of the Polish Air Force will take years and is to be divided into a number of phases. Operational units and air bases will be prepared progressively. Initially, the MiG-29s of the 1st Fighter Regiment are to be made operational with one of the Su-22's regiments following soon after. To this end, all MiG-29s, and 50 of the 80 Su-22s will be modernised and equipped with new communication and identification systems. The other fighter unit to attain NATO-compatible operational status is to be the Krzesiny-based Fighter Regiment, which is to be the very first operational unit equipped with new multi-rule fighters. Over a period of 10-15 years twelve Polish air bases will be fully prepared for international use, of which eight will belong to the Air Force, and two for Navy and Ground forces, respectively. Initially the airfields at Krzesiny and Malbork will be modernised, followed by Swidnwin, Powidz, Miroslawiec and Minsk Mazowiecki. Naval Aviation will work, in parallel, on Babied Doly and Darlowo. It is already known that communication, lighting and ATC systems will have to be upgraded or partially changed. Some infrastructure development will be necessary at a few locations to facilitate the servicing of large aircraft. The creation of a joint civilian-military ATC is well advanced, with a new facility being constructed at Warsaw-Okecie airport, which should be operational next year. It is expected that large Western organisations will try to take over control of localcompanies, so as to stake an early claim in the developing market. Some manufacturers are already in negotiations. The troubled PZL Warszawa-Okecie is among them, with a sale to Lockheed Martin thought possible.(DF598.1)(MM)  

Article ID: 185