The Polish Patriot launchers have the first combat shooting behind them. They made their debut on the post in the mouth during the Autumn Fire exercise, which takes place as part of the “Iron Defender” maneuvers. The fire by the sea besides opened the HIMARS launchers, and the IBCS command strategy was besides used. The soldiers' actions were observed by government chief Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish.
It's been a tense wait for a fewer minutes. We're standing at 1 of the police stations in the mouth. We have the Baltic ahead of us. Suddenly, a fewer 100 meters from us is simply a flash. Over the trees, at a staggering rate, there's a bullet pulling a way of smoke. A fraction of a second later, he goes over the sea, then disappears somewhere above the clouds. There's inactive a bang...
It only lasted a fewer moments, but it became history. On that day, Polish soldiers fired for the first time in the country from Patriot anti-aircraft and rocket systems. The mark was a jet drone, which was located respective twelve kilometres from the Ustka Police Station. “This is the culmination of many years of effort for us. Since 2020, our soldiers have been taking courses to the USA and Germany. And erstwhile 2 years later the first Patriots appeared in Poland, we began to train intensively on simulators and groundbreakings – Captain Marcin Pypkowski of the 37th Air Defence Rocket Division recalls. The strategy itself is to be 1 of the key elements of the defence of the Polish sky. Poland bought a full of 8 batteries, consisting of 64 launchers and 16 radars. – PAtriots will supply our army with abilities we have not yet had. Thanks to the system, for example, we are able to fight Iskander rockets and another missiles of a akin kind – says Captain Pypkowski.
Today's shooting was part of the Autumn Fire maneuvers, which in turn form part of a larger venture under the codename "Iron Defender ‘25It’s okay. ” It consists of more than 30 related exercises. – Since the beginning of September they have been held in various areas of Poland. In the field, in the airspace, at sea, but besides in cyberspace, more than 30,000 soldiers and 600 units of combat equipment operate, explains Colonel Marcel Podhorodecki from the press office of the “Iron Defender” maneuvers. Poles are supported by NATO allies. “Our goal is to build interoperability and to download the latest equipment of the Polish army,” he adds. We had a solid example of this present in the mouth, where fire opened alongside the Patriots as well Homar-A rocket launchers, or M142 HIMARS and Homar-K, i.e. from South Korea K239 Chunmoo. Goals in the Baltic besides fired on native production of Krab cannonhaubice.
“The “Iron Defender” exercises are the consequence to the “Zapad” maneuvers behind our east border,” stressed Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who visited Ustka. "It is very crucial that in these hard critical times the planet sees that NATO and Poland are prepared for different scenarios and threats," he added. The Prime Minister recalled that Polish soldiers are presently practicing together with allies not only in the country, but besides in Lithuania, Latvia and Swedish Gotland. “This shows the scale of manoeuvres, but besides the degree of political mobilisation of the full Alliance,” said Tusk.
In a akin tone, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke. “We have a 3rd largest army in NATO, but in order to be on the podium in operational capabilities, we request exercises like this in the mouth,” he said. He besides recalled that Poland consistently builds the country's air defence. – We start with a very short range, which means “Pilica+” programme, later “Narew” programme And yet Vistula programme.
As he stressed, A very crucial step was the acquisition of IBCS last year. – He is the operating brain of all air defense. Poland is presently the only 1 outside the United States, the user of this system. And today's exercises are expected to show the ability to operate and integrate, but they besides lead to full certification of troops liable for air defense," said Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz.
