On 15 December this year, the PIT-Radwar company from Warsaw, which is a part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), completed the supply of 79 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile sets “Poprad” to the Polish Armed Forces. The last nine vehicles of the SPZR “Poprad” have been handed over to the 19th Lublin Mechanised Brigade named after Lt.-Gen. Franciszek Kleeberg.(More Poprad anti-aircraft missile systems for Poland).
The ceremony of handing over the last nine SPZR “Poprad” took place at the 19th Lublin Mechanised Brigade barracks in Lublin. Their delivery completed the implementation phase of a contract worth PLN 1,083 billion (gross), which was concluded on 16 December 12015 between PIT-Radwar and the Inspectorate of Armament – IU (the contract referred to delivery of 77 serial production vehicles; plus two additional pieces of pre-production series, adapted to the serial batch standard, that were supplied to the Air Force Training Centre named after Romuald Traugutt in Koszalin last year.
According to the Innspectorate of Armamentm the Ministry of National Defense, the delivered tself-propelled anti-aircraft missile sets “Poprad” have been assigned to the following units:
Air Force Training Centre,
4th Zielona Góra Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
8th Koszalin Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
12th Mechanised Brigade,
15th Giżycko Mechanised Brigade,
17th Wielkopolska Mechanised Brigade,
20th Mechanised Brigade,
21th Mountain Rifles Brigade,
19th Lublin Mechanised Brigade, some of the delivered sets will ultimately become the part of 18th Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Sebastian Chwałek, President of the Management Board of the PGZ Group, said:
The Polish Armaments Group develops its portfolio in the area of anti-aircraft defence systems. The “Poprad” sets delivered today as well as the currently produced PSR-A “Pilica” VSHORAD systems are examples of modular solutions, utilising both proven and popularity of the “Grom” missiles on the foreign markets, and their successors, “Piorun” missiles. The next step on this path is the “Narew” programme, which will allow us to make a generation leap in a missile technology, bringing benefits from both the armed forces as well as the economy.
Maj.Gen. Kazimierz Dyński, Head of the Board of Air and Anti Missile Defence – Deputy Inspector of the Branch of Armed Forces, added:
SPZR “Poprad” are mobile anti-aircraft sets of the lowest level of the Armed Forces’ Air Defence System. This solution has been very warmly accepted by the troops who indicate functionality and ease of maintenance of this product. Existence of the “Poprad” sets in the anti-aircraft regiments enables to draw conclusions for further programming of this level of our defence.
Col. Dr. Artur Kuptel, Head of the Inspectorate of Armament of the Ministry of National Defense, indicated:
Finalisation of supplies of modern equipment developed and produced by the Polish defence industry demonstrates the effectiveness of cooperation between the armed forces and the industry. Completion of deliveries, however, is only the beginning of the life cycle of military equipment in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, and its use will also allow for learning subsequent experiences and conclusions that will be a basis of knowledge for the Armament Agency to further develop the product in cooperation with the national industry.
According to plans, selected anti-aircraft regiments of the Air Force and anti-aircraft batteries in the brigades of the Army by the end of this year are to have nine SPZR “Poprad” sets each in their establishment. Image: PGZ
Description
The SPZR “Poprad” is an element of the very short range anti-aircraft defence (VSHORAD). Like the radio homing station, it is mounted on the “Żubr-P” chassis, manufactured by AMZ-Kutno. Together, they are designed to shield important objects, equipment and troops as regards to the lowest level of the air and anti-missile defence system. It is used to detect, identify and destroy air targets on close distances (up to 5,500 m) and low altitudes (up to 3,500 m).
The set is armed with four VSHORAD “Grom” missiles (“Piorun” in the longer perspective). The sets are equipped with the tracking head, the automatic tracking system based on a video camera (working in daylight and infrared light, ) and a system of friend-or-foe identification. The set has the ability to act independently, or within an integrated air defence system. The first launch of the new “Piorun” missiles took place at the end of the last year.
