2014-05-02 00:35:23
Poland is accelerating the purchase of large drones
In a few weeks the Polish Ministry of Defense will start a large program of acquiring the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) intended for the Polish Armed Forces. That is a sharp rise in the amount of military equipment in this category. So far a few Orbiter, Fly Eye or Scan Eagle drones (all mini-UAV class) have been used. Poland not only starts the shopping, but as the Deputy Defence Minister Czeslaw Mroczek responsible for the purchases announced, the purchase of the biggest drones will be accelerated.
Minister made such an announcement during his visit to the most dynamically developing Polish company that develops and produces UAV - Flytronic from Gliwice (town in Silesia region) and the air base in Miroslawiec, the place where a large portion of them will be stationed. Not without reason these two places were selected. Minister Mroczek wanted to know the Polish possibilities in the production of drones and the state of the base in Miroslawiec.
Polish Armed Forces currently use only mini-UAV class drones like Aeronautics Orbiter. In a few years in the Polish army there will be the use of drones on a bigger scale. photo Mariusz Cielma/Dziennik Zbrojny
Poland plans to purchase 82 systems of drones of several classes (MALE, tactical, mini and micro). Last year in Poland carried out a technical dialogue with 51 companies that have come forward. According to the minister Mroczek, after analysis we are ready to start the purchase.
An important declaration which came during visits in Gliwice and Miroslawiec is that the plan to acceleration the purchase of armed MALE and tactical reconnaissance drones. It is related to the crisis situation in Ukraine and the desire to accelerate the achievement of certain abilities by the Polish Armed Forces.
Poland plans to purchase four sets of armed drone MALE (given the codename Zephyr). All 12 UCAVs will go to a specially created squadron in Miroslawiec. A few months ago, according to the Technical Modernization Plan for the years 2013-2022 it was assumed that the purchase would be signed in 2018. Now the year 2016 is mentioned (the supply probably 2018-2019). That's why this year the tender procedure will start. A large share of the Polish industry is not expected in the construction of MALE drones.
More than 20 systems of reconnaissance tactical class drones (given the codename Griffin) will be purchased for the brigade and division level. Nearly 100 UAVs will go to several squadrons in Miroslawiec. Their purchase has also been accelerated in two years, the first will drift into the air base in Miroslawiec in 2016. In the case of Griffin a large share of Polish industry that is gaining skills (Flytronic has already delivered 16 systems and 62 UAVs Fly Eye to Polish artillery and Special Forces) is assumed and a Polish firm is supposed to become a leader in the implementation of this project.
Zephyr and Griffin drones will work closely with the Polish Navy and its Coastal Missile Squadron with Kongsberg NSM missiles.
The air base in Miroslawiec until 2010 was a place for stationing Su-22 attack-bomber aircrafts. After their withdrawal it had created Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron the Land Forces equipped with two squadrons of Orbiter drones. In a few years there will be several squadrons drones and 800-900 soldiers. In addition to an experienced staff and a large base area for the location of this place the advantage of Miroslawiec is its location away from the air corridors of civil aviation and relatively sparsely populated. There is a great freedom in the training of the flights of drones. The military has also got a guarantee of air corridors leading to the nearby military range in Nadarzyce and Ustka - there shooting fire will be led by Polish Zephyr UCAVs.
In a few years in the Polish army there will be the use of drones on a bigger scale. There will also be their armed versions and it is not controversial for Polish society. The last Russian-Ukrainian crisis has caused even the increase of acceptance for a large defence spending.
Dziennik Zbrojny
