More Poprad anti-aircraft missile systems for Poland

The Polish Ministry of Defense (MoD) informed that additional Poprad anti-aircraft missile systems were handed over to the Polish Army.

An unspecified number of locally designed weapon systems were delivered to the 15th Giżycko Mechanized Brigade (New Poprad systems for Poland, 2020-03-23). The handover ceremony took place during the recently concluded Bull Run-12 military exercise.

In total, the Polish Army will take delivery of 24 Poprad anti-aircraft missile systems this year, including 22 serial production sets and two prototype vehicles, which will be adjusted to the required standard. Aside from the 15th Giżycko Mechanized Brigade Proprad systems will be handed over to the 17th Mechanized Brigade and the 19th Lublin Mechanized Brigade as well as to the Air Force Training Center.

Under the terms of the agreement signed in 2015 with system’s manufacturer, the Warsaw-based company Pit-Radwar, which is a subsidiary of the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, PGZ), by the end of 2021 the Polish Army will receive 79 Poprad systems, including two aforementioned prototype vehicles.

The Poprad self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system is intended for fighting low and medium altitude air targets with use of heat-seeking missiles. Its basic functions are accomplished by a tracking-aiming observation system, fitted with a number of electrooptical sensors (thermal camera and laser range-finder).

The system also consists of a quadruple launcher of Grom heat-seeking missiles from Mesko, another subsidiary of PGZ. Poprad uses a fire guiding computer and a navigation and orientation system.

Target acquisition is based on digital data radio-link from the automated air defense command and control system or is worked-out autonomously. The missile launching system is mounted on the Żubr-P all-terrain, armoured vehicle manufactured by the local company AMZ Kutno.