Polish Border Guard

Key Facts

History

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

The purchase of two more twin-turbine coastal patrol aircraft is planned – probably more PZL M28s.

Markings

National Insignia

National Markings

Aircraft Serial Numbers

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 then carried registrations in the SN-xxXG (helicopters) or SN-xxYG (fixed-wing) series, e.g. SN-50YG. In 2011 the aircraft were re-registered with fully civilian registrations in the series SP-VSA to SP-VSM. In 2014 the SN-xxxG sequence was reinstated, with aircraft reverting to their previous serials. This history explains why SG aircraft have multiple previous identities.

Unit/Base Codes

None used.

Aircraft

Aircraft Designations

None – Manufacturers designations used

Current Aircraft Inventory

Table of Current Service Aircraft

All-Time Aircraft Used List

All-Time Table of Aircraft Used

Aircraft NOT Used

No false reports known.

Organisation

Main Headquarters

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

Organisational Structure

The SG is organised into a number of Border Guard Departments and Units: oddzialy-sg. Some of these have fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters attached.

Current Unit Assignments

To be added.

Historical Unit Assignments

To be added.

All-Time Flying Units List

To be added.

Air Bases

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.

More Information

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)

Airliners.net

Lotnictwo.net

new aircraft and a new vessel for the polish border guard