Hungarian Ground Surveillance Radars for the Polish Army - Cheaper than the Competing Designs
Pro Patria Electronics Kft. company won the ground surveillance radars procurement procedure launched by the Polish MoD. The Armament Inspectorate announced that the above concerns the PGSR-3i Beagle radar. The solution in question had a much lower price, when compared to the remaining two, competing offers.
Three entities submitted their offers to deliver the ground surveillance radars:
- Consortium formed by: KenBIT Koenig i Wspólnicy Sp.J. with ELTA Systems Ltd., with an offer worth PLN 86.5 million [gross];
- Consortium formed by: WB Electronics S.A. with SRCTec LLC., with an offer worth PLN 109.8 million [gross];
- Pro Patria Elektronics Kft. – with an offer worth PLN 43.4 million [gross].
As we can see, the latter bidder proposed a much lower price, when compared to the competitors. The Hungarian offer was considered to be the best, with 90 points for the price and 10 points for the guarantee term. KenBIT Koenig i Wspólnicy Sp. J. and ELTA Systems consortium was ranked second - with the offer getting 55.19 points for the price and 10 points for the guarantee term. Consortium formed by WB Electronics S.A. and SRCTec LLC was ranked third, with 35.61 points for the price and 10 points for the guarantee term.
The remaining contractors have put the legal protection means available on the basis of the Public Procurement Law into use, submitting appeals to the National Chamber of Appeals. Nonetheless, the appeals were rejected on 5th February 2020.
The military was looking for a Ku-band radar weighing up to 25 kilograms that could be deployed in up to 5 minutes. It is to be used for directing artillery fire (at distances of at least 12 kilometers), detecting helicopters (24 kilometers), vehicles (15 kilometers) and soldiers (7 kilometers). The primary agreement envisages acquisition of 93 radars that are to be delivered by 2022. Potential optional procurement concerns another 11 systems that would be delivered before 2023, if the right of option is exercised.
The Hungarian company has some previous experience in delivery of radars for the Polish military - this refers to several systems integrated on the Rosomak APC in the WSRiD variant (Multi-Sensor Reconnaissance and Surveillance System). SRCTec SR Hawk radars are integrated on the modified BWR vehicles introduced into the inventory of the Polish military. The integration effort is supported by WB Electronics.
The Polish military has a very small number of ground surveillance radars at its disposal. Equipment as such is quite vital for the general reconnaissance units and for the artillery support elements. Integration of the ground surveillance radars with datalinks and data transfer systems is quite relevant here as it allows for use of the data gathered by those sensors. One of the solutions used now by the Polish military (namely the rocket/artillery component) that could be used for that purpose is the ZZKO Topaz automated fire control system.