Polish Artillery Increases Its Counter-Battery Radar Capabilities

PIT-RADWAR S.A. and the Armament Agency of the Polish Ministry of Defence have concluded an agreement on the delivery of WSOP portable operator stations for the Liwiec Artillery Reconnaissance (Firefinder) Radar Systems. The agreement assumes that 7 systems as such would be delivered by November 2025.

Liwiec Artillery Reconnaissance (Firefinder) Radar System, as PIT-RADWAR recalls, has been designed to deliver intelligence on the enemy activities, and to detect, recognize, and identify active enemy artillery assets, and it also offers a capability to provide firing solution amendments to own artillery units. It may be used for the protection of military bases and critical/high-value infrastructure.

In practical terms, the above means that Liwiec is used to detect enemy artillery, warn own units about potential shelling, and coordinate counterfire engagements. Liwiec can work with the integrated artillery command suites (ZZKO Topaz suite in Poland), or with individual fire units. The radar also offers the capability to detect and track UAS. The system has been operationally proven.

It was deployed to Afghanistan, where it was working with Dana-T howitzers, and FlyEye UAVs, and it was also used to secure the World Youth Days and the NATO Summit in Warsaw. During the latter event, Liwiec's capabilities to detect and track UAVs were used. This is also useful when directing artillery fire, in circumstances when both radars and UAVs are used in the reconnaissance system. 10 Liwiec systems are operated by the Polish Armed Forces in total.

Liwiec’s high mobility is ensured by the fact that it uses a single vehicular platform. The system can be prepared for operation, and for ending it rapidly. Furthermore, good protection against environmental factors, active and passive jamming, and two independent power supply units altogetgher make it easier to effectively employ this radar in battlefield conditions. The radar’s design and operational characteristics ensure ELINT/SIGINT stealthiness and increase its survivability in intense combat.

Delivery of portable operator panels for the Liwiec radars would result in greater flexibility in the use of those systems and heightened safety levels for the operators. Currently, these radars are operated mainly by the Army Artillery regiments. However, this is not everything. It is expected that a new variant of the Liwiec radar would be introduced, featuring an AESA antenna, within the scope of the framework procurement agreement referring to the K239 Chunmoo, and M142 HIMARS MLRS systems. It may thus be stated that the Polish artillery assets sensors enhancement would result in improved situational awareness, also distance-wise.