Today, Zamość has become the center of events concerning the future shape of the air defense of the Republic of Poland. Firstly: the PGZ-Narew consortium provided the Armed Forces with the first launchers and other components for the “small Narew” fire unit, a pilot project for the construction of a modern short-range system for the Narew program. Secondly, the PGZ-Pilica + consortium concluded a framework agreement in Zamość with the Armaments Agency of the Ministry of Defense for the supply of twenty-one Pilica + anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems.
The ceremony of handing over the first components of the “Little Narew” fire unit by the PGZ-Narew consortium, composed of PIT-Radwar, Jelcz and Wojskowe Zakłady Armenia, was attended by Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak and British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace. Importantly, the handover took place within six months of signing the contract. Three iLauncher launchers with CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missiles) missiles from the British MBDA UK were placed on the Jelcz 8 × 8 P882D chassis. 43.
The iLauncher launchers have been integrated with the Polish Zenit weapon control system and the Soła radar station, which is capable of detecting hovering helicopters and can track up to sixty-four targets simultaneously. The modular CAMM radar-guided anti-aircraft missile has a range of over 25 kilometers.
– Within a few months of signing the contract, we are pleased to provide soldiers with certificates of readiness to operate this modern air defense system – said Sebastian Chwałek, President of the Management Board of PGZ. – Today’s ceremony is the result of the work and commitment of Polish engineers who have proven their skills, and confirmation of the effectiveness of the Polish-British partnership. Progress in this area is a good omen for the future, as we treat the “little Narew” as an introduction to the implementation of the “Narew” program, which will take the Polish industry and military to a new, higher level.
(PGZ)
“Mała Narew”, apart from anti-aircraft systems, also includes a training and logistics package. As part of the project, PGZ and MBDA UK integrate selected British and Polish elements of air defense systems and provide technical support for the ordered equipment at the operational stage. The contract provides for the delivery of the first fire unit in 2022 and the second one in 2023. The components handed over to the armed forces today will be handed over to the soldiers of the 18th Anti-Aircraft Regiment from Zamość. In the first half of 2023, the second system will be handed over to the 15th Gołdap Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
A framework agreement with the Armament Inspectorate on the acquisition of short-range air defense missile sets (ZROP-KZ) code-named “Narew” was signed during the MSPO in Kielce in 2021. The concluded agreement started the largest modernization project of the armed forces in the history of Poland.
The 18th Anti-Aircraft Regiment will be the first user of the elements of the “Mała #Narew” system. The planned date of delivery of the second system to the squadron from Elbląg, which is part of the 15th Gołdap Anti-Aircraft Regiment, is the first half of 2023 pic.twitter.com/HAt2NLHmtw
– Ministry of National Defense 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) October 4, 2022
The fire unit of “Little Narew” is based on the national Zenit system produced by PIT-Radwar. It consists of three CAMM missile launchers at Jelcz P882.57, the Soła radar station and the weapon control component carrier, as well as logistic support, which are two transport and loading vehicles.
PSR-A Pilica +
An event of a smaller caliber, but also of importance, was the signing of a framework agreement on the PSR-A Pilica + sets. Its subject is the adaptation of six PSR-A Pilica sets (ordered under the contract from November 2016) to the “+” standard and the delivery of another fifteen in a new configuration. The delivery of the first completed set is planned for 2024, then the military will conduct combat shooting.
– The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, or more broadly the Republic of Poland, and therefore we also need effective defense against threats from the air – said Sebastian Chwałek. – Our security can only be guaranteed by an integrated multi-layer air defense system based on proven, including national, competences and technologies. These needs are met by the Pilica + system, which will soon be used by the Air Defense Forces.
The Pilica + systems will be the basic anti-aircraft systems of the Air Defense Forces of the Air Force.
(PGZ)
Pilica + will be based on the elements of PSR-A Pilca: command post, short-range radar, six fire units with artillery tractors, communication subsystem and logistic protection, including ammunition vehicles and transport vehicles. This configuration will be supplemented with short-range missile launchers and Bystra capable radar stations manufactured by PIT-Radwar. Subsequently, anti-aircraft guns with programmable ammunition and an anti-unmanned aerial vehicle system will be added to the system.
– Already at the design stage of the Pilica system, we took into account the possibility of adding other effectors, such as larger caliber cannons that support programmable ammunition – said Łukasz Malicki, program director at PGZ. – Our experience and the possibility of cooperation with a foreign partner allow us to develop this prospective system so that it can perform tasks set for VSHORAD and SHORAD class solutions.
The basic armament of the set is a double 23-millimeter ZUR-23-2SP Jodek cannon (i.e. a modification of the over 60-year-old ZU-23-2) with a high rate of fire (theoretical 2000 rounds per minute) and two Grom / Piorun anti-aircraft missile launchers.
(PGZ)
The Pilica + sets will serve as the basic anti-aircraft systems for the Air Defense Forces of the Air Force. Their main purpose will be to supplement the fire zones of short and medium-range missile sets at low and very low altitudes and to provide cover for the Wisła medium-range missile sets.
The sets in the Pilica + standard are to be able to conduct autonomous operations in various weather and visibility conditions. They will use their own passive reconnaissance and tracking systems as well as radar data from the battery command post. They will recognize, identify and strike air targets with rocket and artillery fire. CAMM missiles will be used as rocket effectors. The rate of fire of the cannons and their range is also to ensure shooting at ground and surface targets. Common data exchange protocols will be implemented in Pilica +, which will enable the transmission and reception of data from other air defense systems.
Today in Zamość was full of other decisions. The heads of the defense ministries decided to formally establish a working group on the development of a new missile from the CAMM family. Future Common Missile is to have the greatest range and will probably be the Vistula effector next to the PAC-3 MSE. It will also be used by frigates as part of the “Miecznik” program as a medium-range anti-aircraft missile. Business with MBDA UK has been going very well recently, because it should be remembered that Brimstones were selected for the Polish tank destroyer in the Ottokar-Brzoza program.
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PGZ
