On 10 April 2010 a Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashed near Smolensk , Russia while in transit to a ceremony commemorating the Katyn massacre . On board the plane were the President ( Commander-in-Chief ) , the Chief of Staff , all four Branch Commanders of the Polish Military , and a number of other military officials ; all were killed . However , the Minister of Defense stayed in Warsaw , avoiding the crash in the process . In 2014 – 2015 the Armed Forces General Command and Armed Forces Operational Command were both established , virtually eliminating the single services . The Polish Armed Forces consist of 117,800 active duty and 73,000 paramilitary personnel . In 2018 , troop strength in the five different branches was as follows : All five branches are supported by : As of 2011 , the Armed Forces are in the middle of a long-term modernisation programme . Immediate plans involve new anti-aircraft missile systems , ballistic missile defence systems , a Lead-In Fighter Trainer ( LIFT ) aircraft , medium transport and combat helicopters , submarines , unmanned aerial vehicles , as well as self-propelled howitzers
Katyn massacre
Katyn massacre
Polish Armed Forces