As announced on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, by the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (SG WP), the contemporary operational environment requires soldiers to be versatile, highly physically fit, and capable of responding quickly in all conditions, including in direct confrontation with the enemy. In response to these challenges, the Polish Armed Forces are working to develop comprehensive training materials in the fields of hand-to-hand combat and close combat.
Photos: General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces
The Training Directorate – P7 of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces is responsible for carrying out this process. It coordinates the work of a working group composed of representatives of various military units and experts in hand-to-hand combat, close combat, and physical training. The work is expected to result in a modern, coherent training system combining hand-to-hand combat techniques with tactical actions and weapons employment procedures.
As Lt. Cdr. (Ret.) Włodzimierz Kopeć emphasizes, a key element of the new approach is a proper understanding of distance and the ability to select combat measures fluidly:
“The distance between the soldier and the opponent has a decisive impact on the choice of techniques used by the soldier. First and foremost, the soldier uses a weapon. Whenever the use of a weapon is impossible, the soldier applies unarmed combat techniques in order to create the conditions for its use.”
These words reflect the essence of the close-combat philosophy that forms the foundation of the newly developed training manual. The system is intended to develop soldiers’ awareness of distance, their ability to transition smoothly between techniques, and their capacity to react immediately in threat situations.
The scope of the document will include, among other things, close-quarters techniques using short and long firearms, unarmed actions such as grips, joint locks, takedowns, and controlling the opponent, as well as intervention techniques. Particular emphasis will be placed on the systematic training of instructors, conducted at specialized training centers, including the Military University of Land Forces, which has a permanent team of experts in close combat.
Work on the document is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. The new training system is expected to make a significant contribution to improving the effectiveness, safety, and combat readiness of Polish Armed Forces soldiers in the realities of the modern battlefield.
Nowe standardy walki wręcz w Wojsku Polskim 🇵🇱
Wojsko Polskie rozwija nowoczesny, jednolity system szkolenia walki w bliskim kontakcie, odpowiadający realiom współczesnego pola walki. Prace, koordynowane przez Zarząd Szkolenia – P7 SG WP, łączą techniki walki wręcz z działaniami… pic.twitter.com/62UpdakHIb
— Sztab Generalny WP (@SztabGenWP) April 28, 2026