Pilica in line

In his speech, the head of the MON stressed that the multilayering of air defence means the acquisition of systems with different ranges: from the shortest, i.e. Pilica and Pilica+, by program ‘Narew“up to programme ‘Vistula“. He besides added that these programmes are very costly and complicated, but must be given priority. “We have many challenges, but this air defence is the most expensive, hard and demanding”, said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Realization: Bernadette Waskielewicz, Marcin Łobaczewski
Photo on miniature: MON and Young Chore. Andalukiewicz/3 BROP

At the ceremony, Konrad Golota, Deputy Minister of State Acts, emphasized that Pilica sets are not only real defence reinforcements, but besides a chance for the improvement of armaments in Lower Silesia, where most of their elements are created. – Pilica is simply a weapon that we can not only pride ourselves on, but besides export to another countries under the SAFE programme, which we are working intensively on," the Deputy Minister pointed out.

Representatives of the Polish Armed Forces Group announced that the second anti-aircraft strategy Pilica will be sent to the army this year.

Polish weapons

Developed by Polish engineers PSR-A Pilica consists of six Fire Units, a command post, a radio-location station and 2 ammunition trucks and 2 transport vehicles. A single fire unit is placed on the chassis of a truck Jelcz rocket-artillery kit, whose weapon is simply a double cannon with a caliber of 23 mm and 2 anti-aircraft missiles with a very short scope of Lightning.

According to the programme of the alleged Polish Shields, i.e. new, multi-layer air defence strategy of the country, Pilica was to form the basis of a layer of very short scope VSHORAD. With a scope of about 25 km, the Narew sets are intended to form a short-range layer of SHORAD, which can harm the targets of about 100 km of Vistula sets - a medium-range layer of MRAD.

Finally, 3 years ago, MON decided that in order to increase anti-aircraft and anti-missile capabilities of the Shield of Poland, its lowest layer will be created Pilica+ sets, i.e. Pilica reinforced with CAMM anti-aircraft rocket launchers, Automated ZENIT-MP+ Command strategy and Transmitable Bystra Radiolocation Station. Its task is to defend troops and critical infrastructure from air threats specified as aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft or maneuvering missiles.

In 2022 the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the consortium PGZ-Pilica+ for the transportation of 22 Pilica+ batteries. 16 of them are to be brand fresh products and six are to be based on the already delivered Pilica systems, which will be upgraded to the "+" standard. According to the transportation contract schedule, all Pilic+ are scheduled to end in 2029.

The leader of the consortium PGZ-Pilica+ is the Polish Armoured Group S.A. and it is besides composed of: Mechanical Plants “Tarnów” S.A., PIT-Radwar S.A., PCO S.A., Jelcz Sp. Z o.o., Mesko S.A., investigation and improvement Centre of the Centre for Maritime Technology S.A., Military Electronic Plants S.A. and Military Arms Plant