A “small” model of Poland’s Narew SHORAD system is pictured in early October 2022. (Polish Ministry of Protection)
WARSAW — The protection ministers for Poland and the UK this week signed a collection of agreements to maneuver ahead on navy collaboration, because the Ukraine battle continues to drive house the need of European co-development efforts.
In an Oct. 4 ceremony on the Zamość Navy Base in Poland, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Nationwide Defence Mariusz Błaszczak was joined by UK Protection Secretary Ben Wallace to each signal the brand new agreements and to hand over the primary of Poland’s new “small” Narew SHORAD methods, produced in partnership with MBDA UK and Polish business.
“We’re drawing conclusions from the struggle that’s going down in Ukraine. We all know the strategies utilized by the Russians who assault Ukraine, we all know how the Ukrainian military’s resistance is constructed, and we’ve got no doubts that anti-aircraft and anti-missile protection are an vital aspect of safety,” Błaszczak stated. “That’s the reason we began the method of cooperation with United Kingdom, which resulted in the truth that the Polish troopers acquired system operators’ certificates, and the Polish Army will probably be geared up with components of the ‘small’ Narew.”
For his half, Wallace added that the UK has “had an in depth protection alliance with Poland for over 150 years, and as we face the menace from Russia, we want the tools and the capabilities to safeguard our individuals and protect European stability. Our new agreements show that dedication and the UK’s help for Poland’s protection modernization plans.”
The primary doc signed by the 2 ministers is an Air Defence Complicated Weapons Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Per a UK assertion, the MOU “permits the UK and Poland to cooperate within the growth and manufacture of present and future advanced weapons, additional strengthening the connection constructed by way of the UK/Poland Defence and Safety Cooperation Treaty and deepening the interoperability of each nations’ armed forces.” As a part of the MOU, the 2 ministers agreed to create a brand new working group, which can “discover the potential for the UK and Polish Armed Forces to cooperate on the event of a Future Frequent Missile.”
What that missile appears like is unclear, as necessities are nonetheless in growth. In response to the UK launch, the weapon is “envisioned to be a medium-to-long vary, floor launched missile that can be utilized in each land and maritime environments and will probably be a growth of the CAMM household of missiles.” (UK officers are targeted on creating long-range strike capabilities, and have additionally had discussions with France on ensuring future weapons are interoperable.)
The ministers additionally signed a Assertion of Intent on a frigate settlement constructed across the Arrowhead-140, a frigate design from UK agency Babcock. The assertion supplies a framework for the 2 governments “to collaborate on the procurement and operation of three Miecznik frigates, which will probably be a variant of the Arrowhead-140 frigates.”
Taking Narew Steps In the direction of SHORAD, With New Techniques To Come
To not be ignored within the ceremony is Poland’s acceptance of the primary a part of its Narew system, which formally launched roughly a yr in the past.
The essential job of Narew is the safety of Polish Armed Forces items, amenities and air bases. It can praise the Wisła (the Polish identify for the US-made Patriot) medium vary air protection and anti-ballistic missile system, to create a nationwide, allied and coalition air protection system in all-weather, day and night time circumstances. The Narew system will probably be used primarily to interact multi-role plane, cruise missiles and UAVs working at low altitudes.
The “small” model of Narew features a multi-mission 3D redeployable Soła radar, Zenit hearth management station, three iLauncher launchers on the Jelcz chassis, two transport and loading automobiles and Frequent Anti-Air Modular Missiles effectors. The primary unit geared up with “small” Narew methods is the 18th Air Protection Regiment, 18th “Iron” Mechanised Division, joined in mid-2023 by the fifteenth “Gołdap” Air Protection Regiment, in mid-2023.
The “small” Narew system is a pilot venture for the development of the broader Narew fashionable SHORAD system. The mixing of elements underneath the “small” Narew confirms the compatibility of the Ilauncher launcher with Polish elements, reminiscent of the fireplace management station and radar.
“Inside a couple of months of signing the contract, we’re happy to supply troopers with certificates of readiness to function this contemporary air protection system. Immediately’s ceremony is the results of the work and dedication of Polish engineers who’ve confirmed their abilities. It’s also a affirmation of the effectiveness of the Polish-British partnership. Progress on this space is an efficient signal for the longer term, as a result of we deal with the ‘small’ Narew as an introduction to the implementation of the Narew program, which can take the Polish business and the military to a brand new, larger degree,” stated Sebastian Chwałek, President of the Administration Board of PGZ.
In the meantime, Błaszczak used the journey to conclude a framework settlement for the implementation of the PSR-A “Pilica+” VSHORAD missile and artillery system, between the MND Armament Company and the PGZ-PILICA+ Consortium. That consortium — together with native protection platers Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów, PIT-RADWAR, PCO, Jelcz, MESKO, Centrum Badawczo-Rozwojowe Centrum Techniki Morskiej, Wojskowe Zakłady Uzbrojenia and Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne — can be behind the creation of Narew, along with Huta Stalowa Wola and Wojskowe Zakłady Łączności Nr 1.
The topic of the contracts, which needs to be accomplished in 2023, will probably be venture administration and the supply of elements for 21 PSR-A Pilica+ methods. The supply of the primary accomplished system is predicted in 2024, and the following step will probably be to conduct operation capturing.
Pilica+ anti-aircraft missile and artillery methods will probably be one more layer for air-defense, complimenting Narew and Wisła by offering the shortest-range anti-aircraft system. Every Pilica+ system features a command publish, short-range radar, six hearth items with artillery tractors, communication subsystem, ammunition automobiles and transport automobiles, which will probably be supplemented with short-range missile launchers and redeployable Bystra radars. In some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, they may even be geared up with anti-aircraft weapons with 23mm programmable ammunition and a counter-UAS system. The MBDA CAMM missiles are the primary selection effectors for the Pilica+ launchers.
Work can be progressing on Wisła. In September, Poland started the method of System Integration Checkout (SICO) of the medium vary air protection and anti-ballistic missile system.
As a part of this course of, Polish and American SICO groups perform a listing of deliveries and perform the ultimate meeting of navy tools, in addition to carry out the primary commissioning and exams of the proper functioning of the system. Getting a optimistic consequence from the exams is a essential requirement for the switch of the Wisła system to Polish air protection items.
SICO is a course of divided into 3 levels. The primary stage will concern the combination of the M903A2 launchers of the Patriot system with different components of the system and will probably be carried out in Toruń. The exams of the Built-in Air and Missile Protection Battle Command System (IBCS) will probably be carried out within the subsequent stage on the thirty seventh Air Protection Squadron in Sochaczew. Lastly, the entire Patriot /IBCS system will probably be checked, once more in Toruń.
As a part of SICO, all delivered components will probably be checked, from the radars and transponders to the precise interceptors. Completion of the SICO course of, which is deliberate for the second quarter of 2023, will probably be a milestone to attaining Preliminary Operational Readiness for the Wisła system items.
In accordance with the present schedule, Primary Operational Functionality is deliberate for 2023 and is to happen with the profitable completion of the certification train, which will probably be preceded by the stage of coaching and matching subunits. In response to Poland’s MND “the experiences and conclusions obtained underneath the SICO process carried out for the primary section of the Wisła program will translate into the advance of future processes associated to the combination of subsequent methods acquired underneath the second section of the Wisła program and underneath the Narew or Pilica+ applications, due to this fact the SICO course of is without doubt one of the foundations for the development of an built-in air protection and anti-ballistic missile system of Poland”.
In the end, the Aviation Approach Workshop in Toruń is to change into a vital navy upkeep middle for Polish anti-aircraft and anti-missile protection methods.
