Industry
Poland: Belma Company To Deliver Mines for the Army and Warheads for the UCAVs. Conclusion of the Agreements
Polish Ministry of Defence has concluded a contract, worth 9 million zlotys, with the Belma S.A. company, belonging to the Polish Armaments Group, concerning the delivery of the MPD anti-landing mines and MPB-ZN off-route anti-tank mines. In parallel, a license agreement has been concluded by and between Belma and the Military Institute of Armament Technology, concerning the production of live and inert warheads for the Dragonfly UAVs.
The contract concluded by and between the Armament Inspectorate and the Belma company concerns delivery of 300 MPD anti-landing troop mines, and 75 MPB-ZN off-route anti-tank mines, before 29th November 2019. The value of the whole contract is defined as PLN 9 million.
MPD mines may be utilized at depth of up to 5 meters, and their main purpose is to neutralize the landing craft and amphibious IFVs. They also neutralize amphibious platforms with degaussed hulls. The mine features a non-contact fuse with a self-destruction module.
Meanwhile, MPB-ZN off-route anti tank mines have been designed for the purpose of acting against the vehicles, through implementation of a remotely detonated anti-tank warhead. The non-contact fuse, with a self-destruction system, along with an array of acoustic and thermal sensors, detonate the mine when the vehicle interrupts the connection between the optical elements of the thermal sensor. This is an effective piece of armament, especially in the urbanized areas, on forest roads and above the hardened surfaces, in conditions when classic anti-hull mines is made more difficult, or even impossible.
Belma has also concluded a license agreement with the Military Institute of Armament Technology, concerning the exclusive right to manufacture the training, inert and combat warheads designed to be used by UAVs. This type of warheads is used, among other platforms, in case of the Dragonfly UAV, the production of which is to take place at the WZL-2 facility in Bydgoszcz - it is going to be licensed by the Military Institute of Armament Technology too.
Dragonfly, is a VTOL UAV, which, together with the warhead, is only 90 cm long, and weighs only 5 kilograms. The system may be carried by a single soldier. Once the engine booms are extended, supporting the four rotors, the UAV achieves a span of 70 centimeters. It is battery powered, has a flight endurance of 20 minutes. It may be used to attack targets at distances of up to 10 kilometers.
Belma is going to manufacture a wide variety of warheads, including GO-1 HE and GK-1 HEAT warheads, with the latter one being capable of penetrating up to 150-240 mm of armour. Training and inert warheads: GO-1 HE-TR, GK-1 HEAT-TR and GO-1 HE-TP, GK-1 HEAT TP; are also going to be manufactured by Belma.