Armed Forces
Poland to Acquire the UAV’s Soon. Five Offers Have Been Placed
The Armament Inspectorate has received five offers in the tender related to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle systems (UAV’s) in 2 categories: tactical systems, named “Orlik”, and mini-class UAV’s, also known as “Wizjer”. Assessment of the offers is to be realized by the end of February. The procedure excludes the Public Procurement law and is organized as an open order, in line with „Decision No. 92/MON of the Minister of Defence, made on 21st March 2014, regarding the details of the procedure related to the orders and assessment of the basic national security interest”.
Requests regarding being included in the tender related to the “Orlik” and “Wizjer” UAV’s have been submitted by the following subjects:
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Consortium: Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. [Polish Armament Group], based in Warsaw, which is the leader, along with Warsaw based, PIT-RADWAR S.A., Bydgoszcz-based Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 [Military Aviation Works No. 2], and the Warsaw-based Instytut Techniczny Wojsk Lotniczych [Air Force’s Technical Institute;
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Zegrze-based Wojskowy Instytut Łączności [Military Institute of Communication];
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Warsaw-based EADS PZL „Warszawa-Okęcie” S.A.;
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WB Electronics S.A. with a HQ in Ożarów Mazowiecki;
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Zielonka-based Wojskowy Instytut Techniczny Uzbrojenia [Military Armament Technical Institute].
Assessment of the requests, according to the information released by the Polish MoD, is to be realized until the end of the month. The bidders who will be accepted and who will pass through, to the further stage of the procedure, will also gain access to the data describing the detailed conditions of the tender, including the technical requirements. On that basis they will place their initial offers, without mentioning the prices. Then, the bidders who will meet the technical requirements will be involved in the negotiations, until the final offers, along with the set prices, will be placed. And then, selection of the final contractor is to happen. The whole procedure is to be finished with conclusion of the agreements at the beginning of the next year.
Conclusions of the technical dialogue which had been realized back in 2013 became the basis for the requirements. The Armament Inspectorate wants to acquire UAV’s along with control systems and maintenance package. The new equipment is to be used at the level of Brigade and lower.
Ministry of Defence plans to acquire, by 2017, 15 mini UAV’s, dubbed “Wizjer”, which are to be used at the element level. Until 2022, 12 “Orlik” short range UAV’s are to be procured, along with training and logistics bundle, further equipment may be delivered by 2027.
Procurement Plan regarding the UAV’s, which is an element of the armed forces modernization plan for the period between 2013 and 2022, assumes that more than 80 UAV sets, in a variety of types, are to be acquired. The range of vehicles to be acquired is wide, starting from VTOL and conventional mini-UAV’s, and finishing with large MALE UCAV’s, which would be capable of conducting long flights and carrying armament.