List of Polish Forces Involved in the War
The Polish military has deployed roughly 2,400 soldiers to Iraq and a Polish general
assumed command of the Multinational Division Central South (MND CS) in Iraq on
September 3, 2003.
Multinational Division (Central South)
Soldiers: Approximately 9,000
Deployed to: South central Iraq
Units: The division is commanded by the Polish military contingent, and has several
national contingents under its command. The division includes the following units:
Poland: 2,400 soldiers from the 12th Mechanized Brigade
Ukraine: 1,700 soldiers from the 6th Mechanized Brigade
Bulgaria: Approximately 470 soldiers of the 1st Bulgarian Infantry Battalion
El Salvador: 360 soldiers of the Cuscatalan Battalion
Denmark: The Danish battle group includes 367 troops and consists of a light armored
reconnaissance squadron, a special operations forces detachment, a medical platoon,
a mine clearing and explosive ordnance disposal unit, an engineering detachment, and
staff and liaison officers for the combined headquarters.
Lithuania: 45 soldiers of the Grand Duchess Birute Motorized Infantry Battalion
Duties: The division provides security the southern portion of the country between
Baghdad and Basra, including the provinces of Babil, Wasit, Karbala, Quadisiyah
and Najaf. Other countries that have provided troops include Hungary, Kazakhstan,
South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Romania,
Slovakia and Thailand. Spain had contributed 1,300 soldiers of the Ultra Plus Brigade
but withdrew those soldiers in April 2004. The Dominican Republican and Georgia also
have withdrawn their forces.
Operational and Mobile Reconnaissance Group (GROM)
Home base: Lubliniec, Poland
Deployed to: Persian Gulf region
Units: Fifty-six commandos from the Polish Army special operations unit were deployed.
Formed on July 13, 1990, GROM operators previously participated in 1994 peacekeeping
operations in Haiti and in the search for suspected war criminals in the former Yugoslavia.
GROM
GROM, the Polish acronym for the Operational and Mobile Reconnaissance Group, is the
Polish Army's special operations unit. Based on the British SAS and U.S. Delta Force units,
GROM commandos specialize in hostage rescue, counterterrorism operations, and
conducting operations in marine environments like boats or oil platforms. In the photo at left,
GROM commandos are shown at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr, which they helped secure
along with oil platforms.
GSP
The special operations combat diver unit of the Polish Navy is the Grupa Specjalna Pletwonurkow
(GSP), similar to U.S. Navy SEALs. The unit is trained in a variety of marine skills, including naval
base interdiction and reconnaissance, force protection, boarding and taking over surface ships and
countermine operations. The unit is made up of between 50 and 60 men based at the main Polish
naval base at Gdynia-Oksywie.
GSP
Home port: Gdynia-Oksywie naval base, Poland
Date deployed: Unknown
Destination: Persian Gulf
Units: Jane's International Defense Review reported that the Polish Navy sent at least 12
members of its special operations combat diver unit, Grupa Specjalna Pletwonurkow (GSP),
to the Gulf on board the Xawery Czernicki logistic support ship. Jane's also reported the GSP
combat divers conducted missions with U.S. Navy SEALs.
Decontamination platoon
Home base: Poland
Deployed to: Persian Gulf region
Units: The platoon, with 74 soldiers and equipment, specializes in chemical
decontamination.
Polish Navy
Xawery Czernicki
Date deployed: July 30, 2002
Destination: Persian Gulf
Home port: Swinoujscie, Poland
Crew: 38
Units: The multipurpose logistics ship is capable of ferrying troops and equipment to
military and peacekeeping operations. The ship was put into service on September 1,
2001 and is the first new Polish-built vessel into service since 1995. It is named for
Polish Rear Adm. Xawery Czernicki.
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