Responding to a parliamentary question submitted by Paweł Szramka and a number of Kukiz ‘15 MPs, Undersecretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Defence, Bartosz Kownacki, stated that “procurement of the unmanned aircraft in the Polish Army has been planned within the Operational Programme for Obtaining Operational Ability to Conduct Visual Reconnaissance within the period between 2013 and 2022, approved on 17th December 2012 by the Chief of the Polish Army’s General Staff, and the appended Annex, approved on 7th November 2016”.
The principal reason for establishing the imagery reconnaissance capabilities in the Polish Army, at the tactical, operational, and strategic level of command, stems from the identified operational requirements, within the scope of improving the efficiency of the current military reconnaissance system and the alliance-commitments, based on the NATO Force Goals (edition 2013) and the current edition 2017 of the NATO Force Goals.
Kownacki emphasized the fact that “UAVs are one of the key elements required to conduct imagery reconnaissance, while expansion of the subsystem of visual reconnaissance, based on equipment of different classes belonging to that category, would also make it possible to expand the subsequent operational abilities that remain in possession of the Polish Armed Forces, including the reconnaissance, command, attack, survival, protection and non-military support capabilities”.
Within the modernization plan for the Army, “Imagery and Satellite Reconnaissance” Operational Programme, is expected to be covered by an expenditure of around PLN 2.9 billion, within the period between 2017 and 2022. The relevant assets for that purpose have already been secured. Deputy Minister Kownacki noted that the aforesaid amount also includes the spending which is to be used for the purpose of attaining the satellite reconnaissance capabilities.
Unmanned Systems are one of the priority programmes pursued by the Polish MoD. VTOL UAV systems are going to be procured first. The purpose of these systems is to be used, primarily, in the urbanized areas. Here we are referring to the “Ważka” mini UAV and “Mikro” micro UAV systems. In 2017 contracts related to the “Mikro” UAVs are going to be signed, while “Ważka” UAV programme agreement is planned to be signed in 2018. When it comes to the expensive, large “Zefir” and “Gryf” UAVs, the dialogue procedures came to an end, and negotiation now involves the potential suppliers. The plan assumes that deliveries are to take place after 2020, which may mean that conclusions of contracts may also face a delay. Polish Ministry of Defence announced that the relevant contract related to procurement of the short range tactical UAVs, within the framework of the corresponding Orlik programme, is expected to be signed in 2017. However, no details have been released within that scope.
Read more: Polish Ministry of Defence: Orlik UAVs To Be Contracted in 2017. Details - Confidential.