Polish SA-5 S-200 site

[Gunner98]

During the Cold war the Polish Air Force developed an S-200 site near Mrzezyno ~1987 which gave good coverage of the central Baltic. They kept that S-200 Battery post cold war, and as far as I know still have it.

The question is did they move it? Its a fixed site so not a small task, but it seems to me somewhere near the Suwalki gap or maybe near Warsaw would make more sense these days.

All (most) of their S-125 SA-3 units were converted to Neva-SC mobile units so can't be pinned down but I'm curious about that S-200 Battery.

If anyone know please sing out.

Tx

[Blast33]

The site at 54° 6'27.00"N 15°10'8.20"E on Google Earth has still some civil cars at the gate and there are some vehicles present here and there but I could not see any SA-5s any more (as far as I can see).

Maybe the location is still under command of the air defense forces, and has stuff in the barns, like a Neva-SC, but it is not an active SA-5 at the moment.

Image of the old famous site:
https://geimint.blogspot.com/2009/10/polish-strategic-air-defense-cold-war.html

[DESRON420]

Still there as of 2017 but being further modernized 2019-2021. Per Polish Wikipedia: "Today (2017), it is used by the 36th Air Defense Missile Squadron of the 3rd Warsaw Air Defense Missile Brigade." Per the Polish Air Force Wikipedia (sourced from a long 2018 article on the Polish Patriot purchase) the 36th Air Defense Missile Squadron is still located in Mrzeżyno.

But then from Google Translate of defence24.pl:

As we read in the announcement published by 12 WOG in the EU Official Journal, the overhaul service along with the modification of the S-200C Wega anti-aircraft system will include, among others, target highlighting radar, 5P72WE launchers, as well as a number of other elements of the system architecture. The contractor will be the Military Armament Works in Grudziądz.

The works are to be carried out in 2019-2021, for the amount of just over PLN 51.5 million.

So my guess is that they are gone through 2021 (possibly longer b/c of COVID) but will return eventually.

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-200_Wega
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Ai ... #Structure
http://dziennikzbrojny.pl/artykuly/art, ... zpieczniej
https://www.defence24.pl/przeciwlotnicz ... odyfikacji

[Gunner98]

Thank you very much Blast33 and DESRON420

The article on Polish Patriot - very detailed - is good as well, was not aware of this program so the Patriot are now in the mix as well. (setting a small scenario in 2023).

Cheers

B

[Scorpion86]

ORIGINAL: Gunner98
(setting a small scenario in 2023).

I shiver with antecipation!

[Gunner98]

It won't be a classic scenario. More of a teaching/demo piece for the UK Fight Club. Will try and make it fun though...