Armed Forces
Polish Army Purchases Grom Training Missiles
The Armament Inspectorate has signed a contract worth PLN 19.35 million with the Mesko S.A. company, regarding supplies of 30 RST Grom training missiles. These are used in the training undertaken by the operators of any air defence system which makes use of the Grom anti-aircraft missiles, such as ZSU-23-4MP Biała or Poprad. The transaction is a result of negotiations which started in September this year.
Selection of negotiation procedure involving a single subject has been justified by the technical and legal requirements.
Supply of Grom training missiles is only possible to be executed by the MESKO S.A. company with a seat in Skarżysko-Kamienna. This company is the exclusive producer of the Grom anti-aircraft system. The company has developed a technology, thanks to which missiles that are combat capable can be modified to a training variant. Additionally research has been carried out by MESKO, within the scope of practical tests of the interfaces and communication modules, which makes it possible to couple the products with ZUR-23-2KG/PG, ZSU-23-4MP Biała and Poprad anti-aircraft systems, which make use of the combat-capable Grom missiles. (...) Taking into account the fact that, so far, the supplies have been realized within the scope of an agreement which did not provide for any additional orders, there is a need to create a renewal document regulating the supplies from the MESKO S.A. company based in Skarżysko-Kamienna.
Decision on concluding the agreement has been undertaken on 17th November 2014, and the agreement includes 30 training RST Grom missiles. The gross value of the contract is PLN 19 350 000, which means that cost of a single launch-simulating-missile is as much as PLN 645 000.
RST Grom missiles have been developed in 2013 and their purpose is to train the operator within the scope of any steps that need to be taken in order to use anti-aircraft systems armed with the Grom missiles, before the actual launch takes place. RST Grom simulator records the steps taken by the operator until the target tracking phase and moment of launch, which makes it possible to check whether the actions were correct. It is a good way of perfecting the skills of the operators.
It is a very realistic training method, which, at the same time, is significantly cheaper than using the live missiles, value of which also exceeds several thousand zlotys per piece. Live missile may be launched only once, while the training variant may go through 20 operational cycles in one training session (starting from loading up to the moment of a simulated launch), and the warhead is able to stay active up to 100 hours without activated cooling system and 20 hours with the cooling system on.
RST Grom is fully compatible both with MANPADS, as well as launchers installed on artillery-missile systems such as ZUR-23-2KG, ZSU-23-4MP Biała, as well as on self-propelled Poprad missile launcher.