Poland’s Ministry of Defense announced a plan to modernize missile system S-125 SC Newa 0703122.

Defense News - Poland

The Newa program, included in the ministry’s recently published list of planned arms purchases of strategic importance, is estimated to cost at least 300 million zloty ($98 million), according to the local weekly Polska Zbrojna.

Other missile defense programs by the Polish military include the purchase of Poprad self-propelled air-defense systems fitted with Grom surface-to-air missiles.

The Newa contract will most likely be awarded to Wojskowe Zaklady Elektroniczne (WZE), manufacturer of radio location systems. In late February, the negotiations between the ministry and WZE to upgrade the first missile squadron were canceled after the term of the company’s deposit expired, but talks are expected to resume shortly.

Based in Zielonka, Poland, WZE is part of the Wojskowe Przedsiebiorstwa Remontowo-Produkcyjne, the country’s group of 11 state-owned defense companies.

In 2001, Poland began offering an upgrade to the S-125 known as the Newa SC. This replaced many analogue components with digital ones for improved reliability and accuracy. This upgrade also involves mounting the missile launcher on a T-55 tank chassis, greatly improving mobility and also adds IFF (identification, friend or foe) capability and data links.