The guest of the "War Front" podcast was Prof. Piotr Synkarczyk, manager of the state institute for the improvement and implementation of solutions in the field of automation, robotics, measuring techniques, 3D printing and space technologies "Łukasiewicz investigation Network – Industrial Institute of Automation and measurement of PIAP". Prof. Szynkarczyk is besides an expert on unmanned land vehicles. The subject of the conversation was the implementation of unmanned technologies in the Polish Army in a situation where various types of unmanned vehicles increasingly dominate the battlefield in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The programme leader Marcin Wyrał started with a political event. Unexpectedly crucial strategy led by Prof. Szynkarczyk of the institute was at the center of the presidential election campaign. During the presidential debate, Szymon Hołownia asked Karol Nawrocki if he knew what Tarantula was and what the Polish army needed her for. “Charles Nawrocki did not know this, so why don’t you tell us what Tarantula is and why we request it,” he suggested.
“When I hear that something meets the requirements of the Polish army, it makes me anxious”
The podcast guest explained that Tarantula is the working name of a small-sized land-manned unmanned aircraft equipped with various types of cameras that the military can usage for scouting purposes. In March this year, the Polish Army purchased 96 specified machines for 50 million PLN.
“The defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish said that it is an unmanned man who meets the requirements of the Polish army. But erstwhile I hear that something meets the requirements of the Polish army, it makes me so anxious, due to the fact that I know that the Polish military is very powerfully embedded in the war in Afghanistan known to him. So I would like to ask if it is simply a drone adapted to all conditions, but it is profiled under this Afghanistan," asked Marcin Wyrwał.
Prof. Szynkarczyk recalled that mostly unmanned ground vehicles were created at the beginning to replace pyrotechnics in risky situations, and then invented another military applications. – The point is that these devices do not make at specified a pace as technology develops, only at specified a rate as users' awareness develops, what and how to usage them. And this very much affects how they are done," he said, adding that Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that specified robots have become a mark in themselves, so their failure was besides a failure of serious financial resources. Then the robots became smaller, cheaper, but they inactive did quite a few things.
– Robots that are in common usage besides in our military are at the level of lessons after Iraq, Afghanistan," concluded the professor. "There is something completely different going on in Ukraine. We are moving towards: a inexpensive mask, effective in 1 peculiar task. It is besides a fast consequence to changing conflict conditions. At the minute innovation, that is, how this robot is built, what it serves, what it can be done, is actually only effective for a fewer weeks.
— The day before yesterday, I spoke to an officer from an elite Ukrainian brigade who told me that presently unmanned are fundamentally platforms on which another systems are exchanged on a changing battlefield. They just should be modified. And is Tarantula modified? – the writer asked.
"Unfortunately, not quite," said Prof. Szynkarczyk. “This modification exists at the level of us as designers, manufacturers, due to the fact that we have been creating specified devices for almost a 4th of a century. We can from what we are to make fresh configurations, we can adjust our designs to completely fresh requirements. Tarantula, on the another hand, is simply a bit of a stretch. The tender at Tarantule was most likely 11 years ago, so it does not have at the minute specified properties as appeared as needed in the conflict in Ukraine.
“This is simply a minute where you request to open your imagination very widely”
– So we can say that Polish military decision-makers have specified a property that they frequently buy things late, while you scientists have the chance to make modified platforms, but in the military no 1 has always thought of it? – asked Marcin Wyrwał.
— It's not like Tarantula's going to the warehouse. These robots will find their application and will not be an unnecessary burden. On the another hand, I think that what would definitely improve the usefulness of this equipment is what we call robotic awareness for our own usage – the prof. replied, telling about experimental exercises, during which users are only learning how many applications can have unmanned, besides on the front line.
– This is simply a minute where the imagination needs to be opened up very widely and military losses should realise what can be done about it, how completely fresh technologies can be utilized to gain the advantage," said the PIAP chief.
– Our military losses in unfortunately have this problem, that they seldom go to the front to observe what is real," noted Marcin Wyrwał.
– I will complain a little: we do not see the direction of the decision-makers of the Polish army – added Prof. Szynkarczyk. “We know that any tactics are being developed for the usage of unmanned aircraft, but this is the information heard. I am not satisfied that we are not taking part in this survey due to the fact that we have a resource of cognition that is unique in the country and we are not a private company, but a unit in the 100 percent budget ownership of the Treasury. Polish emblem hangs in my office. We besides carry out a kind of mission for the Republic of Poland and believe that we could be utilized as experts in this area, for example, in developing fresh strategies for the usage of unmanned workers.
– But no 1 in the military has thought of this thought to ask you, scientists, about it – the bitter host of the “Fronts of War” stated. He then asked his guest what conclusions he and his colleagues draw from the war that is taking place in Ukraine.
– At the moment, 2 specified major streams could be mentioned – said Prof. Szynkarczyk. – 1 is the request to have large numbers of unmanned vehicles, which means that they must be cheap. It cannot be cheap, which is useless, but cheap, which is very closely profiled under its circumstantial application. So again we are talking about very close cooperation between creators and users," said the professor, pointing out that any of the technologies utilized must be somewhat more expensive, specified as the usage of artificial intelligence, which allows the drone to proceed the mission even if it loses communication with the operator.
— What you're saying is honey for my heart, due to the fact that I keep proceeding from Ukrainian officers that you gotta produce inexpensive and mass production due to the fact that the Russians are attacking with mass. Minister Kosiniak-Kamish said on the occasion of the acquisition of Tarantuli: “We have scientific, investigation and improvement potential. There is 1 obstacle – a scale. This is not mass production that meets our expectations." Do you have the possible for mass production? – the writer asked.
– Again, there is simply a question of cooperation, possibly the name of it is laboriously interministerial – the guest of the podcast answered. “Yes, we can build a capacity for mass production, but this is an investment. So we can't put large money into building a mill now, and then we'll find out the military won't buy it. We request a state-level strategy here.
Marcin Wyrwał recalled that in December General Staff Chief General Wiesław Kukuła stated on a panel that yes, the production of drones must be mass, but if we produce them now, they will later be obsolete. – So we wait fundamentally for what – the writer summed up.
– I'm sorry, but this can be solved – said Prof. Szynkarczyk. – It doesn't should be a mill that only produces Ford kind T and he can only be black. It could be a mill that can flexibly modify its product. It's called manufacture 4.0, and any people are even talking about manufacture 5.0. Flexible production is made – he stressed.
How could Polish scientists contribute to improving the Shields of the East?
The following part of the program discussed, among others, the fact that Polish scientists sale their robots even to countries as highly technologically developed as South Korea.
Marcin Wyrwał besides asked his guest how Polish scientists could contribute to improving the Shields of the East, which we hear is besides to be based on fresh technologies.
“I can talk only on behalf of my institute, but there are surely unmanned land that can service to patrol or even intervene,” said the professor. “ However, we have not yet talked about another technology that we have, 3D in concrete. With this you can print fortifications, dams, shelters.
– So you have unmanned systems, the ability to modify them, 3D printers, so the military should be in line with you by now," said Marcin Wyczał.
– We are trying to scope the factors that may realise this option – said Prof. Szynkarczyk, mentioning the difficulties in communication between scientists and the military. – Fortunately, this is the past, but there have been cases that we went to a military unit to show our robots there and hit a closed gate and inform that the commander does not let us to enter. We were treated precisely the same as private companies.
At the end of the conversation, the host of the “War Fronts” asked his guest to name 1 technology which the Polish military should adapt now to the threat from the East, and his institute has specified possibilities.
– Could there be three? – asked Prof. Szynkarczyk.
“Of course,” replied the journalist. “Polish troops have quite a few needs they do not know about.
– First of all, mobile anti-tank mines would be useful – the prof. replied. – Thanks to specified mines configuration of the full minefield can change.
— Secondly, I would propose seriously considering the usage of our armed huntsman unmanned vehicles, which in various weapons configurations can work with armored troops and support smaller troops.
— After all, there is simply a question of cybersecurity. We have technologies that we control 100%. We don't gotta ask anyone about any licenses, or we gotta worry about individual telling us that we can't modify it.
– So Polish scientists are open to the needs of the Polish army – said Marcin Wyrwał. But first, the military needs to know what it wants.
