GROM
Encyclopedia
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
units of the Polish Armed Forces
Polish Armed Forces
Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland...
. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990. It can be and is deployed in a variety of special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
and unconventional warfare
Unconventional warfare
Unconventional warfare is the opposite of conventional warfare. Where conventional warfare is used to reduce an opponent's military capability, unconventional warfare is an attempt to achieve military victory through acquiescence, capitulation, or clandestine support for one side of an existing...
roles, including anti-terrorist actions and projection of power behind enemy lines.
The unit's other name is Jednostka Wojskowa 2305 (Military Unit 2305). The acronym GROM is related to the name Operacja Most ("operation bridge"), Grupa Realizacyjna Operacji Most.
Early history
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were several formations of special forces units within Poland, but these were either trained in purely military tasks (sabotage, disruption of communications and such) or in purely counter-terrorist roles. After the Polish embassy in Bern was taken over by militants of the Polish Revolutionary Home Army in 1982, General Edwin Rozłubirski proposed that a clandestine military unit be established to counter the threat from terrorismTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and other unconventional threats. This proposal, however, was initially rejected by the "Polish People's Army".
In 1989, many Jews were allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Poland was one of the handful of countries that provided aid in the form of organization for the operation, later dubbed Operation Bridge (Operacja Most). After two Polish diplomats were shot in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lt. Col.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Sławomir Petelicki was sent to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to secure the transfer of civilians and the Polish diplomatic
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
outposts.
Upon his return to Poland, he presented his plan for the creation of a special military unit to the Ministry of Interior, a force that would be trained in special operations to be deployed in the defense of Polish citizens in situations similar to the one in Lebanon. Petelicki's ideas were well-received and on July 8, 1990, GROM was formally established as JW 2305.
Commanders
- Brigadier GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sławomir PetelickiSlawomir PetelickiBrigadier General Sławomir Petelicki was the first commander of the Polish special forces unit GROM from July 13, 1990, until December 19, 1995. Currently he is heading the Foundation of Former Special Forces Soldiers "GROM" .-Biography:...
(July 13, 1990–December 19, 1995) - Brigadier GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Marian SowińskiMarian SowinskiGen. Marian Sowiński is a Polish general.Brigadier-General Marian Sowiński has been commander of the special forces unit "GROM" from December 19, 1995 until December 6, 1997.-References:...
(December 19, 1995–December 6, 1997) - Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki (December 7, 1997–September 17, 1999)
- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Zdzisław ŻurawskiZdzislaw ZurawskiColonel Zdzisław Żurawski is a Polish Army officer.Colonel Żurawski was commander of the special forces unit "GROM" from September 17, 1999 to May 26, 2000.-References:...
(September 17, 1999–May 26, 2000) - Colonel Roman PolkoRoman PolkoMajor General dr Roman Polko is a Polish Army officer, acting chief of Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego , former commander of "GROM", doctor of military science studies, speciality: management....
(May 26, 2000–February 11, 2004) - Colonel Tadeusz SapierzyńskiTadeusz SapierzynskiColonel Tadeusz Sapierzyński is a Polish Army officer, former commander of the special forces unit "GROM", from 2004 until 2006....
(February 11, 2004–February 23, 2006) - Brigadier General Roman PolkoRoman PolkoMajor General dr Roman Polko is a Polish Army officer, acting chief of Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego , former commander of "GROM", doctor of military science studies, speciality: management....
(February 23, 2006–November 8, 2006) - Colonel Piotr Patalong (November 8, 2006–March 25, 2008)
- Colonel Jerzy Gut (March 25, 2008–July 24, 2008)
- Colonel Dariusz Zawadka (July 24, 2008– August 6, 2010)
- Colonel Jerzy Gut (August 6, 2010– July 28, 2011)
- Colonel Piotr Gąstał (July 28, 2011–)
Organization
Sławomir Petelicki was chosen as the first commander of the newly formed unit. As a Polish intelligence officer from Służba Bezpieczeństwa specializing in reconnaissance, sabotage, and diversion, he seemed perfectly suited to oversee the unit's initial formation. He gathered around himself a group of like-minded and professional officers and set about choosing soldierSoldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s that would be fit for special operations. Due to the high risks involved in special service, it was decided that all men should be professional soldiers. The first batch of recruits all came from a variety of already-existing special units with the Polish armed forces. Among these were:
- 1 Batalion Szturmowy from LubliniecLubliniecLubliniec is a town in southern Poland with 29,359 inhabitants . It is the capital of Lubliniec County, part of Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in Częstochowa Voivodeship .-Geography:...
(1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów1st Special Commando RegimentThe 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, 1 PSK is one of the three special operations forces currently operating within the Polish military's structure, Special Forces of Poland....
) - 48th, 56th and 62nd Special Companies of Land Forces (Kompanie Specjalne)
- 6th Aeromobile Brigade (6 Brygada Desantowo-Szturmowa)
- Polish NavyPolish NavyThe Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
diversScuba divingScuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater.... - Anti-terrorist units of the PolicjaPolicjaPolicja is the generic name for the police in Poland. The Polish police force was known as policja throughout the Second Polish Republic , and in modern post-communist Republic of Poland since 1990. Its current size is 103.309 officers and ca. 12.000 civilian employees...
- Mechanised Warfare Officer School in Wrocław
- Reconnaissance units of various divisions
Out of the possible recruits, only a small group passed the training. Many of these initial instructors were trained by the Special Forces of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Currently, GROM is co-operating with similar units of other NATO countries:
- Belgian Special Forces Group
- British Special Air ServiceSpecial Air ServiceSpecial Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
, Special Boat ServiceSpecial Boat ServiceThe Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special... - United States Army Special ForcesUnited States Army Special ForcesThe United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
, Delta ForceDelta Force1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
, Navy SEALsUnited States Navy SEALsThe United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their... - Italian 9°Th Special Force "Col Moschin" Parachute Assault Regiment
- German GSG 9GSG 9The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
, KSKKommando SpezialkräfteThe KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte is an elite military unit composed of Special Operations soldiers from the ranks of Germany’s Bundeswehr and organized as such under the Division Spezielle Operationen . The unit has received many decorations and awards from both NATO and its affiliates... - Dutch Unit Interventie MariniersBijzondere Bijstands EenheidThe Unit Interventie Mariniers , formerly known as the Bijzondere Bijstands Eenheid , is an elite Dutch special forces unit, which is specially trained for intervention missions...
- Canadian JTF2
- Norwegian KJK, HJKHærens JegerkommandoHærens Jegerkommando is a special forces unit of the Norwegian military. It is the armed forces competence center for commando, airborne and counter terrorist duty in the Norwegian Army. Its headquarters are located 30 km...
- Czech Urna
During its formative first few years, GROM remained completely secret and hidden from the public. It was first reported to the press in 1992 and became known to the public in 1994, after their first major military operation in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
Before October 1, 1999, GROM was subordinate to the Ministry of Interior, after which time command was transferred to the Ministry of National Defence
Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland
Ministry of National Defence is the office of government in Poland under the Minister of Defence. During the Second Polish Republic and World War II it was called the Ministry of Military Affairs...
.
Training
Candidates applying to serve in GROM have to pass psychological and durability tests, along with the so-called truth test, a physically and psychologically exhausting field test designed to filter out the weaker applicants. GROM soldiers train with the best special forces units in the world.The training of GROM soldiers includes a variety of disciplines. All of them undergo the same specialized training in anti-terrorism and special operations, as well as frogman
Frogman
A frogman is someone who is trained to scuba diving or swim underwater in a military capacity which can include combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver or combatant diver or combat swimmer....
, sniping
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
, and parachuting. In four-man teams, each soldier must be prepared to assume the respective responsibilities of his colleagues, should it become necessary. JW GROM has their basic Spec. Ops training provided by the Swedish Navy's Special Command for Tactical Operations based in Karlskrona. Sweden's primary Naval Base. Approximately 75% of GROM personnel are trained as medics or paramedics. In addition, each group is supported by several professional physicians. It is also assumed that a lot of GROM operatives are proficient in at least two foreign languages.
GROM operatives are trained in the capture or kill methods.
Known operations
- 1992 - "Antoni MacierewiczAntoni MacierewiczAntoni Macierewicz is a Polish Catholic politician, anti-communist activist, member of Sejm, journalist and a former internal affairs minister, former vice-minister of national defence in Jarosław Kaczyński's government, and current parliamentary representative.-Early years and activity during...
briefcases" affair (Close protection duty during political problems in Poland). - 1992 - Assault on residence and arrest of one of the bosses of Art B (a political and economic scandal in Poland).
- 1994 - Operation Uphold DemocracyOperation Uphold DemocracyOperation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
in HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. - 1996 - UNTAES mission in eastern Slavonia, Croatia to arrest Slavko DokmanovićSlavko DokmanovicSlavko Dokmanović was born on 14 December 1949 in Trpinja, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia, and died on 29 June 1998, in The Hague...
- they have since managed to arrest at least six more Yugoslavian war-criminals. - 1996 - Bodyguard duties during US ambassador W.G Walker's mission in KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Macedonia. - 1999 - Bodyguard duties during US ambassador W.G Walker's mission in Kosovo and Macedonia.
- 2001 - Hunt for war criminals in Kosovo.
- 2001 - Recon mission in Afghanistan before the arrival of Polish troops.
- 2002–2004 - Mission in Afghanistan (VIP bodyguarding, base protecting duties and other).
- 2002–2003 - Mission in Persian Gulf. Maritime Interdiction Operations.
- 2003–2004, 2007-2008 - GROM soldiers took part in the Operation Iraqi Freedom. Also operated in Iraq after May, 2003.
- 2007 - present - GROM is a part of Special Forces in Afghanistan, as Task Force 49, operating in Ghazni ProvinceGhazni ProvinceGhazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
.
Equipment
- Colt M4A1 assault rifle (with RIS) - withdrawn from use
- Bushmaster M4A3Bushmaster M4A3The M4 Type Carbine is a firearm manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International, modeled on the AR-15 platform.-Overview:The M4 Type Carbine is effectively a reproduction of the Colt M4 Carbine, but is usually only semi-automatic for legality within the U.S. civilian market...
assault rifle (often with M203 grenade launcherM203 grenade launcherThe M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was...
attached) - withdrawn from use - Bushmaster XM15E2S - withdrawn from use
- Bushmaster ACR
- KAC SR-16
Carbine
Knight's Armament Company
Knight's Armament Company is an American firearms and firearms parts manufacturer.It is owned by C. Reed Knight and based in Titusville, Florida. KAC is best known for producing the Rail Interface System and the Rail Adapter System grips for military firearms...
- Barrett REC7
- SIG P226 & P228SIG P226The SIG P226 is a full-sized, service-type pistol made by SIG Sauer. It is chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and .22 Long Rifle. It is essentially the same basic design of the SIG P220, but developed to use higher capacity, staggered-column magazines in place of the...
- SIG SG 551SIG SG 550The SG 550 is an assault rifle manufactured by Swiss Arms AG of Neuhausen, Switzerland...
- Glock 17 & 17TGlock pistolThe Glock pistol, sometimes referred to by the manufacturer as Glock "Safe Action" Pistol, is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H., located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria. The company's founder, engineer Gaston Glock, had no experience with firearm design or...
- Steyr AUGSteyr AUGThe AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
- Heckler & Koch USPHeckler & Koch USPThe USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
and Heckler & Koch Mark 23Heckler & Koch Mark 23The Heckler & Koch MK23 is a handgun consisting of a match grade semi-automatic pistol, a laser aiming module , and suppressor. It was adopted by the United States Special Operations Command for special operations units in the 1990s.... - Heckler & Koch MP5Heckler & Koch MP5The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....
submachine gun - Heckler & Koch G36Heckler & Koch G36The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3...
assault rifles in various versions - Heckler & Koch HK416 D10RS and D145RS
- Heckler & Koch PSG1Heckler & Koch PSG1The PSG1 is a semi-automatic rifle designed by the German company Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Neckar.-Development:...
- FN Five-seveN
- FN P90FN P90The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
TR - FN F2000 TacticalFN F2000The FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle, designed by FN Herstal in Belgium. The F2000 made its debut in March 2001 at the IDEX defense exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.-Design details:...
- FN SCARFN SCARThe Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by FN Herstal for the United States Special Operations Command to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types...
- FN MinimiFN MinimiThe Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries...
Para & TR
- Bor
- TorWKW WilkThe WKW Tor or Wilk is a modern anti-materiel and/or sniper rifle which is being produced in Poland by factory Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów. WKW Tor stands for Wielkokalibrowy Karabin Wyborowy or Large Caliber Sniper Rifle. Its military designation in Polish army is known as the Tor...
- KAC SR-25 sniper rifle
- Sako TRG-22Sako TRGSako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles were developed by the Finnish firearm manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-22 is designed to fire standard .308 Winchester ammunition, while the TRG-42 is designed to fire more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition and therefore has a...
sniper rifle - Accuracy International AWM-FAccuracy International AWMThe AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:...
sniper rifle - PGM 338 sniper rifle
- CheyTac InterventionCheyTac InterventionThe CheyTac Intervention is an American bolt action sniper rifle manufactured by CheyTac LLC for long range soft target interdiction. It is fed by a detachable single stack magazine, which holds 7 rounds. It fires .408 CheyTac or .375 CheyTac ammunition...
(.408 Cheyenne Tactical.408 Chey TacThe .408 Cheyenne Tactical is a specialized rimless, bottlenecked, centerfire cartridge for military long-range sniper rifles that was developed by Dr. John D. Taylor and machinist William O. Wordman...
chambering) heavy sniper rifle - Barrett M107 anti-matériel sniper rifleAnti-materiel rifleAn anti-materiel rifle is a rifle that is designed for use against military equipment rather than against other combatants ....
- PGM Hecate IIPGM Hecate IIThe Hecate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12,7 .It is manufactured by PGM Précision of France...
- Manroy M2 QCB
- Saab Bofors Dynamics Carl Gustav M3 MAAWS
- Saab Bofors Dynamics AT4AT4The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
- Zeveta RPG-75-TB
- LRM vz. 99 ANTOS
- Rafael SpikeSpike (missile)Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations....
Comparable Units
- Special Forces Group Belgium - Marinejegerkommandoen (MJK)Marinejegerkommandoen
Marinejegerkommandoen is a Norwegian maritime special forces unit. It was formally established in 1951. It is located in Ramsund in the northern part of Norway and at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen...
- 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów
1st Special Commando Regiment
The 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, 1 PSK is one of the three special operations forces currently operating within the Polish military's structure, Special Forces of Poland....
- FORMOZA - Special Naval Frogman Group
FORMOZA
Formoza, MJDS en. "Naval Special Operations Unit", is a new name of the Polish Navy Special Operations Sections , now Special forces of Poland , which used to operate also under the name of Special Naval Frogmen Group...
- Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
- Joint Task Force Two (JTF2) - 1st SFOD - D (Delta Force)
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
- DEVGRU - Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal is a special forces unit of the Israel Defence Forces , which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also...
- Kommando Spezialkräfte
Kommando Spezialkräfte
The KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte is an elite military unit composed of Special Operations soldiers from the ranks of Germany’s Bundeswehr and organized as such under the Division Spezielle Operationen . The unit has received many decorations and awards from both NATO and its affiliates...
- GSG9 der Bundespolizei
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...