| 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów |
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| Active | 1993 – present |
| Country | Poland |
| Allegiance | Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych (Polish Armed Forces SOCommand) |
| Type | Special Operations Unit |
| Nickname | 1 PSK |
| Engagements | Operation Enduring Freedom Kosovo Conflict Iraq War ISAF War in Afghanistan (2001–present) |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Col. Ryszard Pietras |
The 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, 1 PSK (en. 1st Special Commando Regiment, 1st Special Forces Regiment) is one of the three special operations forces currently operating within the Polish military's structure, Special Forces of Poland.
Thanks to the unit's high recruiting standards, and a special training programme the Regiment implemented several years ago, the unit's soldiers display a higher level of skill and professionalism, when compared to other Polish forces. The Regiment's troops are trained to undertake a wide range of special missions during war, crisis, peace, with its troops being capable of conducting air assault, helicopter, and parachute operations (including HALO and HAHO operations); strategic and tactical reconnaissance operations; raids and ambushes; frogman and underwater attack missions; providing support to other specialist units during hostage rescue operations; and other missions as deemed necessary.
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The unit, based in Lubliniec, near Częstochowa, is currently (2010) operating under the command of pułkownik (Col.) Ryszard Pietras. The Regiment carries on the traditions of several World War II special mission units. These units, organised with the assistance of the U.S. and Britain, consisted of the 2nd Commando Battalion, the Special Motorised Battalion, the "Parasol" (Umbrella) and "Zośka" Sabotage Battalion.
Prior to 1994, the Regiment was composed of a single battalion 1 Samodzielny Batalion Szturmowy (en. 1 Independent Assault Battalion), but it is currently organised into three special detachments and a frogmen company. Each detachment is composed of three companies, which are divided into three platoons. Each platoon contains 3 six-man teams, giving the unit a total strength of approximately 90 operational teams, plus support staff.
1 PSK is a fully professional force composed entirely of highly trained and selected soldiers, including women. The 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, along with the GROM unit and the Morska Jednostka Działań Specjalnych (Naval Special Operations Unit) "Formoza" frogmen unit, is part of Wojska Specjalne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. All three Republic of Poland SF units have special operations command - Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych.
Candidates wanting to serve in the Regiment must first successfully undertake a basic military training course. They then move on to a three-month “Junior Specialist” training course. During this phase recruits receive training in close combat, hand to hand combat, fighting with specialised equipment, parachuting, land navigation, weapons handling, basic survival, and several other military-related skills. Troops who successfully complete the second phase then move onto the 1 Pułk, where they are assigned to one of the unit's six-man operational teams. Once there, additional training continues (mountain and cold weather training, sniper, Casevac, amphibious operations, etc.).
The regiment has been quite active over the last few years, with troops being deployed to support NATO operations in the Republic of Macedonia during the Kosovo conflict. A 13-man detachment was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Polish support for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Most recently the unit had deployed a 56-man company to Iraq, as part of the Multinational Division Central-South. Now, detachments of 1 PSK fight in Kandahar Province and other Afghan provinces, maybe in Pakistan (War in Afghanistan).
The 1 PSK armouries are currently in a state of flux as the unit tries to upgrade the equipment used by its operators. Weapons in use by the unit include the Sig Sauer P226 (9mm Luger) Heckler & Koch USP SD (9 mm Luger) and WIST-94 (9 mm Luger) pistols, Heckler & Koch HK416 and kbs wz.96 & wz. 2008 Beryl Commando 5.56x45mm assault rifles, Pallad grenade launcher, MP5, MP5SD, Uzi, PM-84P Glauberyt (some of which have been equipped with sound suppressors) 9 mm sub-machineguns, PKM/PKMS, 7.62 mm NATO Polish GPMG, UKM-2000. Unit snipers are equipped with the Finnish 7.62 mm SAKO TRG-21, TRG-22, and kbw SWD sniper rifles. Many of the weapons have been modified with the addition of foregrips, laser aiming devices, aiming lights/illumination devices, and various optics such as Tasco telescopic scopes and/or night vision devices.