Page 50 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

Polish Su-22 force

bases. By the end of the year, 20 Su-22M4s and
six Su-22UM3Ks were already in the country to
convert Polish pilots as quickly as possible.
Polish Su-22 regiments
The first Polish unit equipped with the Su-22 was
the 6 Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego (6
PLMB, 6th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment),
based at Piła. The first aircraft, Su-22M4 ‘3005’,
arrived at Piła on November 13, 1984 and the
last in February 1986. This regiment had no
fewer than 36 single-seaters and nine trainers,
since it was tasked with training pilots and
ground crews for subsequent units. In the initial
period, the training process was assisted by
The exception to the two-tone grey camouflage is several instructors from the USSR. In 1998, the

Su-22UM3K ‘707’, which was painted in its latest 6 PLMB was disbanded and its Su-22 aircraft
Tiger Meet paint scheme, designed in 2017 by Filip were divided among the remaining units.
Jereczek-Bambrowicz and applied by WZL 2. This The next Polish Su-22 unit – the 40 PLMB
jet has worn ‘tiger’ colours since 2003.
based at Świdwin – accepted its initial aircraft in
a surplus of these engines. Meanwhile, the (AS-14 Kedge) TV-guided missiles; they can August 1985 and attained its full complement – 32
Lyulka AL-21 powerplant was constantly in be easily recognised by an additional TV combat aircraft and four trainers – in March 1986.
short supply, as it was also needed for Su-24 monitor in the cockpit. Su-22UM3K trainers Due to the base’s location 50km (31 miles) from
tactical bombers. However, Poland already had were from the 66th, 67th and 68th batches. the Baltic coast, the regiment frequently operated
experience operating both types of engines – The first group of Polish pilots and ground over the sea in co-operation with the navy.
the R-29 in the MiG-23 and AL-21 in the Su-20 crews left for Su-22 conversion in Krasnodar, In May 1986, the 7 Pułk Lotnictwa Bombowo-
– and had no wish to acquire more R-29s. USSR, in April 1984. On June 11, the first two Rozpoznawczego (7 PLBR, 7th Bomber and
The main contract for 80 Su-22M4 combat Polish pilots, Major Bogdan Likus and Colonel Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment) – based at
aircraft and 20 Su-22UM3K combat trainers was Stanisław Nawrocki – both previously Su-20 Powidz and operating the Su-20s – accepted
signed in 1983. In 1986, Poland ordered a further pilots – soloed in the Su-22. The first Su-22 its first Su-22s. Here, the full regiment was not
ten Su-22M4s, for a grand total of 110 arrived in Poland on August 28, 1984. re-equipped, only a single Su-22 squadron
aircraft. Poland received Su-22M4s from the Disassembled aircraft were delivered by (12 single-seaters and six two-seaters) being
23rd, 24th, 27th, 29th, 30th, 37th and 38th Il-76 and An-22 transports to Powidz air added to a pair of Su-20 squadrons. Such
production batches, delivered in several lots base, where a team of employees from a large number of two-seaters was a result
during 1984-88. There were some differences the manufacturer, the Komsomolsk-on- of the need to train Su-20 pilots as well –
between them. For instance, aircraft from the Amur production facility, assembled these airmen previously had only the old
23rd and 24th batches were not fitted with and test-flew them; later, the aircraft Su-7Us at their disposal. Su-22M4s delivered
ASO-2V decoy flare dispensers (eight were ferried to their destination to Powidz were from the 30th production
launchers with 32 tubes each). batch. In 1997, the Su-20s
Aircraft from the 30th and were retired and the 7 PLBR
higher production received more Su-22s from the
batches were disbanded regiment based at
adapted to Piła. The Powidz unit was named
carry Kh-29T ‘reconnaissance’ because Poland

During design of this most advanced version of
the Su-17, the Soviets removed its fighter function

following which it evolved into a tactical medium-
and low-altitude strike aircraft. Therefore, the
air intake design was simplified, becoming fixed

rather than adjustable. Because of this change, the
aircraft’s speed was reduced to Mach 1.77.
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