On Friday, March 20, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz paid a visit to Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZMT), a company belonging to the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ). The delegation from the Ministry of National Defence was welcomed by company representatives: President of the Management Board Robert Sadowski and Management Board members Tadeusz Kwiatkowski and Wojciech Patoła.
Photos: Robert Nieć, ZMT
The central point of the visit was a meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence and the Management Board, representatives of the Supervisory Board, and trade union organizations operating within the company. During the meeting, the current activities of Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów, its production potential, and its importance for the national security system were discussed. The discussion also covered directions for the development of the domestic defense industry and its role in implementing modernization programs of the Polish Armed Forces.
The Deputy Prime Minister presented the assumptions of the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) program, aimed at strengthening the production capabilities of the European defense industry, developing modern technologies, and increasing cooperation among European countries in the production and procurement of armaments. He emphasized the importance of building security based on domestic industrial potential and also answered questions regarding the SAFE program and its assumptions.
During the press briefing, the Deputy Prime Minister indicated that the development and strengthening of companies such as Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów is one of the key elements in building Poland’s defense sovereignty. He also noted that support for the domestic defense industry remains one of the priorities of the Ministry of National Defence, and that the SAFE program will be an important tool supporting this process.
The WLKM 12.7 mm multi-barrel machine gun developed by ZMT, nicknamed the “Monster from Tarnów,” will be integrated into 18 battery modules of the San air defense system, designed to counter unmanned aerial systems. According to the contract, 36 systems will be mounted on recently contracted KIA KLTV Cab Chassis Truck 4P platforms. The project carries the internal designation Autonomous Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) System, codename KINMA-R.
