Current Title:	Straz Graniczna
Title in English:	Polish Border Guard
Abbreviation:	SG

Narrative Summary:
The Straz Graniczna was first established in 1928, but no aircraft were operated until after World War Two. Between 1945 and 1989 the task was performed by a military force called Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza (Border Defence Army or Frontier Protection Forces), which was a part of the Army. This included one Independent Recce. Aviation Squadron based at Wicko on the Baltic Coast. In 1972 there was a big re-organisation of Police and interior forces. The 103. Air Regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MI) was established. The WOP Aviation Squadron was disbanded and replaced by aircraft borrowed from 103. Air Regiment. In 1990 a parliamentary act was passed which authorised the transformation of the WOP into a civilian agency under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On 16 May 1991 the frontier force became the Border Guard, with the main roles of border policing and coastal patrol. The first dedicated helicopters (three PZL Kania) were delivered in October 1996 to 103. Regt. The Border Guard Aviation Unit was established in 2000 after the disbanding of 103 Air Regiment. It started with four Mi-2, one W-3 and one PZL M-20. Six PZL-104M were delivered later.

Key Dates:
1950s		Frontier Protection Forces aviation unit established.
1972		103 Air Regt. established for Ministry of Internal Affairs use.
12 October 1990		Parliamentary act establishing civil Border Guard approved.
16 May 1991		Frontier Protection Force becomes civil Border Guard.
2000		103 Air Regt. disbanded, Border Guard Aviation Unit formed.

Current Status:
The SG operates aviation units under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministerstwo Spraw Wewietrnych). It's main task is to monitor the movements of people in border areas.

Future Plans:
Nothing known.

National Insignia:

Main Marking

The main marking is a red and white quartered disc on a green square. This is displayed above and below each wingtip and on the fin of fixed-wing aircraft and on the fuselage sides of helicopters. The service titles POLISH BORDER GUARD / STRAZ GRANICZNA are carried on the fuselage sides.

Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):
Police and Border Guard aircraft initially carried semi-civilian registrations with the prefix 'PL', e.g. PL-43YG. From December 2002 the prefix was changed to 'SN'. All Border Guard aircraft now carry registrations in the SN-xxXG (helicopters) or SN-xxYG (fixed-wing) series, e.g. SN-50YG.

Unit/Base Aircraft Code System(s):
None used.

Aircraft Designation System(s):
None - Manufacturers designations used

Current Aircraft Inventory:
Click on aircraft type for more details

Aircraft Type	Total Del'd	Total Now	Role	Origin
Mil Mi-2	4	4	Patrol	local
PZL-104M Wilga 2000	6	5	Patrol	local
PZL Kania	3	2	Patrol	local
PZL M20 Mewa (PA-34 Seneca)	1	1	Patrol	local
PZL M28 Skytruck	1	1	Patrol	local
PZL W-3 Sokol	1	1	Patrol	local

All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Alphabetical Order --- Chronological Order

Main Headquarters:
HQ Aviation Branch, Border Guard Aviation:
Lotnictwo Strazy Granicznej, Gdansk-Rebiechowo International Airport.

Current Organisational Structure:
No information.

Current Order of Battle:
Not applicable.

Historical Orders of Battle:
Not applicable.

All-Time Flying Units List:
Not applicable.

Current Air Bases:
Main and central base is at Gdansk Rebiechowo, with other bases at Bialystok Krywlany, Ketrzyn Wilamowo, Lublin Radawiec, Nowy Sacz, Rzeszów Jasionka and Zielona Góra Przylep.

All-Time Air Bases Used List:
See above.

Books:

None known.

Magazines:

Air Forces Monthly December 1996
Fojtik, J., 'Lotnictwo Policji a Straz Graniczna', Letectvi and kosmonautika 10/2006

Websites:

Straz Graniczna

Wikipedia: Border Guard (Poland)

PZL Swidnik Kania

Airliners.net