Marine Rocket Unit vehicles have been deployed under forest cover. Command wagon, mobile communications node, launcher. Right now, she's the 1 that's most important. due to the fact that erstwhile the signal comes “to battle!” it moves out of place, leaves for open space and... performs a rocket strike. This time simulated.
As we arrive at the airport, the vehicles are already in position. Launcher, command vehicle, mobile communications node – all on the Jelcz chassis. The engines are in idle gear, the crews are busy making final preparations for the exercise. Today, we're going to be pulling together at battery level. We will execute simulated rocket strikes for targets on the Baltic," explains Dominik, commander of the Marine Rocket Unit. And we'll be accompanying his sub-unit for a fewer more hours to see what it looks like in practice.
From the coast to the deck
MJR is 1 of the most modern units of the Polish army. Its strength is primarily made up of NSM (Navy Strike Missile) missiles, which are capable of damaging enemy ships even from a distance of 200 km. In addition, there is over-average mobility. MJR vehicles can travel on both roads and roads. They can hide in the woods, then leave for the station in no time, hand over the volley and... vanish again in the shadows. In addition, they are easy to burden on a transport-miner ship, or board a large aircraft and in a comparatively short period of time to be transferred into any region of Europe. The unit exercises it regularly. “In fresh years we have already carried out tasks in Romania, Estonia, Sweden and even Iceland,” said Mr Maciej Jonik, Deputy Commander of the MJR.
MJR is stationed in Siemirowice. It is subject to the 3 Fleet Ships, and it was created equally 10 years ago. It consists of 2 combat squadrons equipped with launchers, but besides command cars, radars and mobile communications nodes. The squadrons are divided into batteries, and these in turn – into fire teams. Additionally, there is simply a safety division with anti-aircraft and logistics divisions. MJR is like a highly advanced mechanism. But erstwhile it's set in motion, it works fast.
Hypothetic situation – the enemy's landing ships are approaching the Polish coast. The squad is detected by a pair of F-16s circulating above the Baltic. Information goes to Marine Rocket Unit..and her commander chooses a squadron to execute a rocket strike. The designated vehicles are usually already in the area of action, due to the fact that war does not detonate suddenly. The army has time to prepare properly. The next step – the squadron commander assigns targets to batteries, yet from their level of task they are ceded into individual fire teams. “In this arrangement we are the last link,” Dominic admits. “We prepare to strike, and erstwhile we complete all the related activities, we ask the superior to accept the mission. erstwhile we get it, we wait for the signal. Then we go to the position, we shoot and we jump back to a safe place, so as to avoid being detected by the opponent – explains the commander of the fire team. The procedure seems time-consuming, but in reality it is not. “From the point of destination and approval of the mission by the superior to the point of firing it usually takes a fewer minutes,” Dominic says. The key issue here is the fast flow of information. “Our communications nodes are among the most modern in the Polish army,” says Agnieszka, who proves the alleged battery-level apparatus. – We usage both radio and satellite connections. Thanks to advanced technology, we can be in instant The pace of decrypting and encrypting the information flowing to us, as well as sending it to the cars of appropriate levels – he emphasises.
However, if necessary, the circulation of information can be further shortened by planning and carrying out a single battery mission. The squadron itself besides does not request to be only on outside information. The radar available to its commander can not only monitor the air situation within a 240 km radius but besides track possible targets at sea up to 50 km. Of course, it's just an additional possibility. However, more can be seen from the surface of the sea and even more from the plane.
Meanwhile, vehicles deployed on the plane of the airport slow leave their stations and head for the close forest. It was just a playoff, a fast position training. Only now will the basic part of the exercise begin. So we pack up the cars and follow their lead.
“Go!”
For a fewer kilometers we drive along the forest wall, and yet at 1 of the intersections we turn between the trees. A fewer twelve meters further, we see the first vehicle, another vehicle. There are masked sailors in the area with a long gun. It's a recon team. – Our task is to admit the area before entering the column of vehicles belonging to the fire battery. We usually show up a twelve minutes earlier. We are checking that the area has not been contaminated, mined or ambushed there – explains Jakub, the leader of the reconnaissance team. If everything's all right, we'll signal the battery commander. Then we insure the column: we conduct patrols, control vehicles entering – he describes. But recon doesn't close in a fewer hours. – Earlier, usually a fewer days before the primary task, we designate in the area alleged spare areas, that is, places where vehicles can decision immediately after firing, or before it, if it turns out that the main area is threatened in 1 way or another," explains Jakub.
Here, however, everything seems fine. After entering the forest, vehicles are usually masked so that they can not only be seen from the close road but besides from the air. Protected nets of sailors usually drop only a fewer minutes before leaving for positions. This will most likely happen soon, but now we have a minute to talk. A mobile launcher can carry 4 NSM missiles. The crew consists of 3 soldiers. too the commander, he's a driver and strategy operator. Now we're waiting for a signal from our superiors. erstwhile this happens, we will be in position within a fewer minutes – says Sebastian, the commanding officer of 1 of the launchers. The vehicle is on a forest road. Commander – respective decades away. He's got signal flags in his hand. yet after a fewer minutes comes the order to attack. Sebastian lifts the flags, Jelcz's engine enters advanced turns and the vehicle rushes forward, scattering around a clump of land and clumps of turf, yet leaves the forest and occupies a position at the edge of the adjacent airport. The part where the missiles have been planted goes up. A minute later, there's a volley. Or rather, it would happen if we observed exercises with real combat measures.
That's how MJR practice practically all the time. The sailors are trained on base, but besides outside. They run along the Polish coast – primarily in the mediate and east of it – setting up vehicles in forests and meadows, grinding procedures related to rocket impact. They besides regularly participate in exercises – both national and international, together with our troops and allies. Most frequently they have key roles, as NSM missiles are expected to be a proverbial tongue in weight. Like 1 of the editions of the “Hedghog” exercise in Estonia, erstwhile the launchers deployed on the coast closed the shipping routes from the depths of the Gulf of Finland to the open Baltic. – We are liable for securing our marine waters and bases, but we are besides a deterrent to possible opponents. As 1 of the admirals stated at the time, we are liars of the Polish army... – noted Mr. Jonik.
Soon the possible of coastal rocket artillery will be importantly enhanced. In 2023, Poland ordered equipment for 2 more naval rocket units. They are intended to be completed between 2026 and 2032. Soon, the Naval Rocket Brigade will be established in the armed forces. “This is simply a sign that the superiors and decision makers appreciated our possible and felt that it was worth expanding”, comments Mr Jonik. “With the creation of a fresh brigade, we will have the chance to carry out our tasks in even wider waters not only in the country but besides outside its borders. And this is surely a large benefit for Poland – the officer concludes.
