Polish Army to receive a lot more drones.

As published on the Polish Ministry of Defense’s website, Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defense, said: “The end of the year is an intense time of purchasing modern weapons. I have just approved the contract for the purchase of drones for the Polish Army. Drones are produced by the Polish defense industry. There is no doubt that drones are extremely necessary and important on the modern battlefield. Anyone who follows today's conflicts is aware that they are used and constitute an important weapon”.
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On Wednesday, December 29, Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defense, approved the contract for the supply of mini-unmanned aerial systems under the code name Wizier. (Picture source: Polish MoD)

On Wednesday, December 29, Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defense, approved the contract for the supply of mini-unmanned aerial systems under the code name Wizier. It provides for the delivery of 25 sets of these UAS along with a logistics and training package. The contract includes an option that provides for the acquisition of a computer system for training (CBT) and a training management system (SZS).

“Drones are also used in times of peace, in the situation we find ourselves in today, in the situation in which we were attacked, this attack by Belarus is a fact. We are also dealing with the use of drones also by the Belarusian side. Drones are used for reconnaissance, and then officials of the Belarusian services destroy the temporary fence to open the way to push migrants to the Polish side", - Minister Mariusz Błaszczak stated.

As the head of the Ministry of National Defense pointed out, it is important that the mini-unmanned aerial systems codenamed Wizier are Polish drones. Their design has been developed by the Air Force Institute of Technology, and will be produced by a consortium of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa together with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze in Łódź and Bydgoszcz.

The contract for the supply of drones provides that each set includes 4 aerial platforms with electro-optical E IR heads, 1 set of ground control station (NSK), 1 ground data terminal (NTD) and 1 portable video terminal (PTV). In total, under the contract worth 174 million, the Polish Army will receive 100 drones along with a logistics and training package. The delivery dates are planned for the years 2024-2027.

The Wizier mini-unmanned aerial system will be designed to conduct operations for the needs of the Land Forces and Special Forces in the field of image recognition (IMINT) through the use of optoelectronic heads. In addition, the system is to perform tasks related to indicating targets and defining data for fire destruction, assessment of the effects of strikes, and supporting activities in the field of military protection. It is characterized by a low-noise emission factor, a flight time of more than 3 hours, and an operating range of up to 35 km. Its main tasks include observation, detection, recognition, identification and indication of object coordinates. UAV takes off automatically with the use of a composite launch tube and performs a landing maneuver in automatic mode, using a parachute and an airbag. The entire system was developed in accordance with NATO standardization agreements and applicable defense standards.

The Minister also announced further purchases of unmanned aerial systems: “As a rule, we want to obtain drones from various sources for the equipment of the Polish Army. We are very happy that the Polish defense industry has the capacity to build them. Why is this diversification important? The point is not to become dependent on one of the providers. Therefore, at the meeting of the Technical Modernization Council, a decision was made to resume deliveries of Fly Eye drones, a model already used by the Polish Army, by operational forces and the Territorial Defense Forces".

The minister emphasized that one of the first tasks in the new year for the Armaments Agency will also be the acquisition of loitering ammunition for the Polish Army : “The Polish Army should have large amounts of such weapons at their disposal. We will acquire this weapon, which will equip the Polish Army, by leaps and bounds. Drones will go to the equipment of the Polish Army, and those that will be acquired next year will go primarily to the artillery".