Lt. Col. Andrzej LIS

Soldiers of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate and of the Ground Forces have started organisation of the Polish Armed Forces Exhibition that will accompany the 17th MSPO.

The first to arrive in Kielce were the logistics crew from Bydgoszcz and Czarne (1st Logistics Brigade; 1 BLog.) and from Opole (10 BLog.). They started construction of a military base elements in the exhibition grounds of Kielce Fairs, to introduce MSPO visitors to the conditions in which Polish soldiers serve in overseas missions. Beside, together with the logistics crew of the Training Centre for Peace-Keeping Forces (CSnPSP) they have taken care of accomodation, catering, refuelling and medical support for the 250 soldiers from all over Poland who will organise and support the Polish Armed Forces Exhibition.

The logistics troops will soon be joined by soldiers from the Szczecin-based 12th Mechanised Brigade (12. BZ) and from the Poznań-based Ground Forces Training Centre, AA force troops from Czerwieńsk (4th AA Regiment; 4. pplot.), Leszno (69. pplot.) and Świętoszów (10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade; 10. BKPanc.), gunners from Sulechów (5th Artillery Rgt; 5. pa) and sappers from Brzeg (1st Sapper Brigade; 1. BSap.). Pilots will fly in form Inowrocław (56th Combat Helicopter Rgt; 56. pśb). There will also be soldiers from reconnaissance and EW units from Grudziądz (8th Radio-Electronic Warfare Battalion; 8. bWRE), Pruszcz Gdański (49. pśb), Hrubieszów (2nd Radio Rgt; 2. pr) and from the Bydgoszcz-based Central Psychologic Action Group.

The force, under Lt. Col. Jan Lipiński (commanding the 11th Equipment Recovery Battalion based at Czarne), is going to expand the exhibition area, set up a static display of Ground Forces’ armament and equipment , and of the logistics equipment, and also to prepare a dynamic display of battlefield recovery of damaged vehicles.

Last year the MSPO organisers – Kielce Fair Board and the editors of RAPORT-wto monthly awarded the Polish Armed Forces Exhibition a prize for extremely realistic presentation of the logistics support and of conditions of service of the Polish soldiers in Chad. Will the soldiers be able to prepare an equally interesting exhibition this year? We invite all visitors to the MSPO to visit the Polish Armed Forces Exhibition between 31 August and 3 september.

This year the exhibition will exhibition is organised under the heading of Professional soldiers – professional equipment. It is prepared by the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate with cooperation form the Ground Forces. Visitors at the Kielce fair will be able to see the latest armament and military equipment of the Polish Armed Forces, including Rosomak wheeled APCs, engineering equipment, artillery and missile anti-aircraft systems (Loara), reconnaissance systems and logistics equipment, the Langusta missile launcher, the Bożena mine clearance machine, the NUR-22 radar station, the Przebiśnieg reconnaissance-jamming system, and the Mi-2 URP helicopter. Logistics specialists will present accommodation under pneumatic tents, an armament overhaul workshop, prototype container field bath, a field water storage module and the STAR 944 lorry in armoured variant.

The exhibition will also include stands of development-implementation centres that operate within the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate structures. Specialists from the Military Development-Implementation Centre of Uniform Service will present directions of changes in uniforms and equipment of Polish soldiers. The Military Development-Implementation Centre of Catering Service will present methods of examination and certification of food products and catering equipment made for the Polish Armed Forces.

After several years’ break visitors will be able to see a display of soldiers in action next to the static display. On the first day of the fair soldiers from vehicle recovery elements of the 1st Logistics Brigade will present a dynamic display of their skill, demonstrating various ways of recovering damaged equipment from the battlefield. Loading a damaged PT-91 tank onto a low-chassis trailer, recovering a damaged BWP IFV with the WZT-3 recovery vehicle, and loading a HMMWV patrol vehicle onto a self-loading platform will be shown. The dynamic display will be performed in mock operational conditions, using battlefield simulation effects.

More about the Polish Armed Forces Exhibition during the 17th MSPO at: http://www.iwspsz.wp.mil.pl/pl/59.html