Changes in the Gryf Tactical UAV Procurement Programme

Works are underway, regarding the update of those documents. The Gryf procurement is to be restarted “immediately after the update process is finalized, regarding the documents that form the basis for the process to be launched”.

Gryf tactical medium-range UAV programme has been discussed in Poland for years, but never was it however formally launched, selection of the preferred bid was also left unaccomplished. Procurement of the Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAVs (24 examples, 4 systems, 6 aircraft each) may be viewed as a gap-filler here.

According to the information released during the meeting of the Parliamentary National Defence Committee, back in March 2018, by the Deputy Head of the MoD Wojciech Skurkiewicz, the programme above was to involve the delivery of 6 systems (4 UAVs and a control station in each of the systems) between 2020 and 2022. Another 6 systems could be procured in the unspecified future. The systems in question are expected to be operated at the division level, with an operational radius of at least 200 kilometres, and a capability to carry a wide range of payloads, including EO sensors or radars.

It was also assumed that the UAV procured in the Gryf programme would be able to employ armament, such as small-diameter bombs. Considering, however, the experience gathered in Ukraine, the UAVs are much more useful when directing artillery fire - the weapons payload requirement may have thus been revised.