Defence & Space

Polish 35 mm SA-35 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun with PIT-Radwar

During the recent MSPO trade fair in Kielce, the company PIT-Radwar presented its proposal for a 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun…

2025-06-13 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 13 minutes

ICEYE signs agreement to deliver SAR satellite capabilities to the Portuguese Air Force

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP) announced the signing of an order for…

2025-06-13 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Polish 35 mm SA-35 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun with PIT-Radwar

During the recent MSPO trade fair in Kielce, the company PIT-Radwar presented its proposal for a 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun…

2025-06-13 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 13 minutes

Karkonosze Program: A Game-Changer for the Polish Air Force’s Tankers?

The Polish Air Force has been requesting the acquisition of aerial refueling tankers for years. The program to procure a multi-role transport…

2025-05-23 | Sławek Zagórski | 5 minutes

Polish 35 mm SA-35 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun with PIT-Radwar

During the recent MSPO trade fair in Kielce, the company PIT-Radwar presented its proposal for a 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun…

2025-06-13 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 13 minutes

Lithuania Wants to Co-Produce Leopard 2A8 Tanks

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced that the ministry is negotiating with the German defense industry over the possibility of…

2025-06-12 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations at AOC Europe

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems, sensor fusion and signal analysis solutions, designed to meet the evolving…

2025-05-12 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Iberian Blackout: Is Poland Prepared for a Similar Scenario?

The blackout on the Iberian Peninsula has prompted a few cautious questions about whether Poland is secure in the event of…

2025-05-02 | Krzysztof Zagórski | 6 minutes

Spectra Group unveils Troposcatter on the Move (TOTM) to Asia at Indo Defence

Spectra Group is unveiling its new Troposcatter on the Move (TOTM) capability at Indo Defence, which delivers robust, secure, high-bandwidth…

2025-06-12 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Poland: GROTowisko-25 Conference Begins Next Week

On the weekend of June 14–15, 2025, the next edition of GROTowisko will take place. Once again, the military complex…

2025-06-04 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Polish 35 mm SA-35 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun with PIT-Radwar

During the recent MSPO trade fair in Kielce, the company PIT-Radwar presented its proposal for a 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun…

2025-06-13 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 13 minutes

Lithuania Wants to Co-Produce Leopard 2A8 Tanks

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced that the ministry is negotiating with the German defense industry over the possibility of…

2025-06-12 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Poland: Buffer zone on the border with Belarus extended for another 90 days

The Minister of the Interior and Administration has signed a regulation introducing a temporary ban on presence in a designated area within the…

2025-06-11 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Galvion awarded FBI contract for their Hellbender FE helmet

Galvion announces the successful award of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) contract for their Galvion Hellbender Federal Edition (FE) helmet…

2025-06-09 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

ICEYE signs agreement to deliver SAR satellite capabilities to the Portuguese Air Force

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP) announced the signing of an order for…

2025-06-13 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów to service Polish W-3 Sokół helicopters

The 3rd Regional Logistics Base has signed a contract with Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów for the overhaul of gearboxes and the…

2025-06-12 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

SBU on Operation Spider’s Web Details: Was a Tu-160 Strategic Bomber Destroyed?

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released a video compilation showing all FPV drone strikes carried out with Osa-type drones…

2025-06-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Ukraine has destroyed a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile system

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the destruction of one and damage to two additional 9K720 Iskander-M…

2025-06-05 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

ICEYE signs agreement to deliver SAR satellite capabilities to the Portuguese Air Force

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP) announced the signing of an order for…

2025-06-13 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Hanwha Systems and BAE Systems Sign MOU to Build Next-Generation Reconnaissance Satellite System

Hanwha Systems, a leading South Korean defense and aerospace technology company, announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)…

2025-06-10 | Redakcja | 2 minutes
Shooting

Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X – a Bayonet of Light for Your Weapon

The devil’s not so scary once you shine a light on him—and he’s certainly easier to neutralize in the spotlight. A weapon-mounted flashlight…

2025-06-09 | Anna Mielczarek | 6 minutes

Mactronic M-Fire Guardian – A New Flashlight for Professionals

Mactronic is introducing a new angle flashlight, the M-Fire Guardian. According to the manufacturer, it is the first angle flashlight with red…

2025-06-04 | Michał Ihnatów | 6 minutes

Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X – a Bayonet of Light for Your Weapon

The devil’s not so scary once you shine a light on him—and he’s certainly easier to neutralize in the spotlight. A weapon-mounted flashlight…

2025-06-09 | Anna Mielczarek | 6 minutes

Mactronic M-Fire Guardian – A New Flashlight for Professionals

Mactronic is introducing a new angle flashlight, the M-Fire Guardian. According to the manufacturer, it is the first angle flashlight with red…

2025-06-04 | Michał Ihnatów | 6 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

Direct Action Spitfire Plate Carrier – Part 1: Testing the Carrier

Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of options in the gear and load-bearing equipment category. One of the most basic…

2025-05-08 | Michał Gaweł | 14 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025 starts on February 24th

Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers, experts from government agencies, and representatives of the…

2025-01-30 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

POLSECURE: Holsters HPE Poland offer for uniformed services

At the 3rd International Police and Public Security Fair POLSECURE 2024 in Kielce, Holsters HPE Poland presented its offer for…

2024-05-01 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Grand Power Showcases M4M1 Carbines for the Slovak Armed Forces

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2023 in the Czech Republic, Grand Power — a Slovak firearms manufacturer — showcased…

2025-05-28 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Weapon light: a practical tool for everyday service. How to choose?

In the world of armed forces, where every second can determine the outcome of an operation, precision and effectiveness are…

2024-08-29 | Redakcja | 7 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X – a Bayonet of Light for Your Weapon

The devil’s not so scary once you shine a light on him—and he’s certainly easier to neutralize in the spotlight. A weapon-mounted flashlight…

2025-06-09 | Anna Mielczarek | 6 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

Frontex: Illegal migration to EU in 2023

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has published statistics regarding attempts to illegally cross the external borders of the EU in December of the previous year and throughout the entire year 2023.

According to data published on Tuesday, January 16th, by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the number of attempts to illegally cross the external borders of the European Union in 2023 increased by 17% compared to the previous year, reaching approximately 380,000. This is the highest total since 2016, according to preliminary estimates, and it demonstrates a consistent upward trend over the past three years.

Photos and Images: Frontex

The central part of the Mediterranean Sea basin remains the most active migration route to the EU – in 2023, 2 out of 5 illegal crossings occurred in this region (41%), followed by the route through the Western Balkans (26%) and the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea basin (16%).

The largest percentage of illegal migrants in the past year were Syrians, with over 100,000 attempts to cross the external borders of the EU by individuals of this nationality. They were followed by Guineans and Afghans. Citizens of these three countries accounted for 37% of all nationalities among all recorded cases. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of migrants from West Africa, making up 47% of all detections.

According to statistical data, last year, women accounted for 10% of the total number of all illegal migrants, while children made up another 10%. It should be noted that the number of unaccompanied minor migrants increased by 28% compared to the previous year and in 2023 exceeded 20,000.

The numbers presented today show the evolving challenges we face in managing the external borders of the EU, said Hans Leijtens, the Executive Director of Frontex. We are still committed to ensuring the security and integrity of the EU borders. Equally important is addressing the humanitarian aspects of migration. These figures represent not only statistics but also real people.

2,500 Frontex permanent staff and personnel participate in various operations supporting EU member states and neighboring countries in protecting the external borders of the EU and combating organized crime, such as migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and terrorism.

The central part of the Mediterranean Sea basin remained the most active route leading to the EU in the past year, and the border services of EU member states reported a total of 157,479 detected cases (in December alone, there were 4,742 cases, which represents a 49% monthly increase compared to 2022). The majority of those detained were citizens of Guinea, Tunisia, and Ivory Coast.

On the route through the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea basin, there were 6,290 attempts to illegally cross the border in December (60,073 in total throughout 2023), which is a 55% increase compared to the previous year. The majority of those detained were citizens of Syria, Afghanistan, and Palestine.

On the route through the western part of the Mediterranean Sea basin, there were 1,818 attempts to illegally cross the border in December (16,915 in total throughout 2023), which is 12% more than in the previous year. The majority of those detained were citizens of Morocco, Algeria, and Syria.

In 2023, on the Western Balkans route, there was the largest annual decrease among all major migration routes to the EU, by 31% (1,091 cases in December and 99,068 cases throughout the year), largely due to a stricter visa policy. The majority of those detained were citizens of Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan.

On the route from West Africa, there were 4,973 attempts to illegally cross the border in December (40,403 since the beginning of 2023), which is a 161% increase compared to the previous year. The majority of those detained were citizens of Senegal, Morocco, and Mali.

The number of illegal crossings through the English Channel towards the United Kingdom in December was 3,308, making the total number since the beginning of 2023 reach 62,047, which is 12% less than during the same period last year. The majority of those detained were citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that for the eastern border of the EU (Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia with Belarus, and Poland with Ukraine), there were 94 attempts to breach it in December and a total of 5,608 attempts from January to December. This represents a 12% decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. The majority of those detained were citizens of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria.

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