Modern Radars for the Polish Airbases. Polish Industry Presenting its Offer
Polish Ministry of Defence is willing to carry out an expansive modernization programme, with regards to the radar systems used at the Polish airbases. Within the framework of that initiative, it is planned that new airfield area radars are acquired, meanwhile, the existing GCA-2000 radars are expected to be upgraded. Proper talks involving the Polish industry are in progress already.
The Polish Ministry of Defence is getting ready to procure new airfield area monitoring radars. The Armament Inspectorate announcement published to indicate that the body has begun a market analysis suggests that the procurement concerns equipment that would be capable of carrying out continuous radar surveillance over the airfield, providing the user with radar information on the air picture in the APP and TWR areas of responsibility.
Procurement of 15 radars is being planned, with an intention to operate them for 24 years. 24 months is the guarantee term assumed.
The acquisition concerns 3D S-band radars and they shall be tailored to being transported by wheeled vehicles, including low platform trailers. The antenna array shall be placed on a transportable, removable mast, which is to be placed at least 25 meters above the ground.
The radar should have Mk XIIA IFF solution at its disposal, with Mode S (ADS-B included), along with a military-grade GPS receiver with SAASM module and a separate power supply unit with a UPS-class wireless PSU, should electrical grid be damaged. The system should also be capable of exchanging the information with external systems, in compliance with ASTERIX and AWCIES standards. Furthermore, it shall be tailored for operation in a net-centric setting and should be certified up to the NATO Secret level.
The Press Department of the MoD told us that the following entities have made their submissions, in order to participate in the market analysis initiated in 2016:
- Airbus DS Electronics & Border Security GmbH,
- BAE Systems Maritime Services,
- Cenrex Sp. z o.o.,
- Indra Sistemas S.A.,
- PIT-RADWAR S.A.
- Saab Technologies Poland sp. z o.o.
At the moment the programme has entered the phase of conceptual analysis. According to the release issued by the MoD, the analysis involves the following entities:
- Hensoldt Sensors GmbH (formerly: Airbus DS EBS GmbH),
- Indra Sistemas S.A.,
- Saab Technologies Poland sp. z o.o.
Meanwhile, within the framework of a separate procedure, the MoD is willing to modernize its GCA-2000 (Ground Control Approach) systems. It has been an assumption made by the Ministry to upgrade the initially introduced systems of this type up to a standard represented by the latest GCA-2000 radars that have been operated by the Polish military since 2016.
According to the announcement published by the Armament Inspectorate, as the market analysis began, ASR and PAR radars, IFF system, GCS voice connectivity system, objective control system, software (diagnostics-related, systemic and work station), remote status monitoring system and power supply system should all undergo modernization. “Modernization of the GCA 2000 system is in its analytical-conceptual phase. Both the market analysis, as well as the analytical-conceptual phase involves the WZE S.A. company”, the press department of the Polish Ministry of Defence stated.
At the moment the programme is at the stage of the analytical-conceptual phase. Most probably the whole work is going to be carried out by the WZE S.A. facility in Zielonka belonging to PGZ. WZE S.A. is carrying out operational support activities for the said system in the Polish military. WZE is also involved in the analytical-conceptual phase of this programme.