Poland's defense companies create consortium for future Narew short-range air defense system

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Defence & Security News - Poland
 
 
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 09:59 AM
 
 Poland's defense companies create consortium for future Narew short-range air defense system
Polish defence companies announced last week the establishement of a consortium in order to join the technical dialogue, announced by the Armaments Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defence (MON), in the programme aimed at obtaining the “Narew” short-range rocket missile system by the Polish Armed Forces.
     
Polish defence companies announced last week the establishement of a consortium in order to join the technical dialogue, announced by the Armaments Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defence (MON), in the programme aimed at obtaining the “Narew” short-range rocket missile system by the Polish Armed Forces. Poland’s Narew competition is intended to replace the middle tier of its air-defense systems, which currently operates upgraded versions of Soviet-era SA-8 Geckos, dubbed Osa-AK missiles
     
The today’s event is a visible sign of the changes occurring in the Polish armaments industry. 11 companies concentrated as part of PGZ will sign an agreement establishing a consortium for the purposes of manufacturing and delivery of “Narew” system. There is much to fight for, because according to estimates the programme will cost as many as PLN 11 billion. The significance of this for the defence companies forming the consortium is obvious. Rocket missile systems count as most modern in the world. Work on them is an opportunity to significantly enhance innovativeness of these companies and the whole economy,” said Zdzislaw Gawlik, Deputy Minister of Treasury.

This contract might determine the quality transformation of the Polish armaments industry in the next years. The aim of the established consortium is to activate the capabilities residing in the Polish defence companies and to obtain and Polonise new technologies.

We would like the Polish consortium to be an integrator of a complete system meeting the requirements determined by MON for the “Narew” system, based on international cooperation. We are convinced of the real potential of the facilities belonging to our group. The Polish industry is even now an equal partner for most renowned foreign tenderers,” said Wojciech Dabrowski, President of the Management Board of PGZ, commenting on the agreement signature.

The range of “Narew” systems shall be up to 25 km and they shall be capable of fighting airplanes, helicopters or rocket missiles. In accordance with the upgrade programme, there is a plan to introduce 11 batteries of rocket systems of this type as the Polish Army’s equipment by 2022, while subsequent 8 ones after 2022.