Poland plans its own drone wall: Details revealed
Photo: Poland wants to create its own drone wall (Getty Images)
Poland plans to begin creating a national anti-drone system within a few months, without waiting for the European Union's initiative to create a drone wall, according to Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk.
According to Tomczyk, this month the Ministry will announce investments in technology for detecting, jamming, and neutralizing Russian drones as part of an air defense program.
He did not say how much the investments would cost, but the goal is for Polish companies to receive at least half of the contracts.
"We agree with the idea of strengthening the defense of the skies over the entire European Union and are willing to consider external proposals or solutions. But we give priority to national projects," Tomczyk says.
He also stresses that the EU's drone wall could complement the Polish system in the future.
"If there’re any external tools, we will use them to the fullest," says the Polish Deputy Minister of Defense.
Tomczyk also says that the Ministry plans to use the EU's new SAFE defense loan program to finance the country's drone shield, but declined to provide details. Given its borders with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, Poland received the most funding under the SAFE program, allowing it to take advantage of €43.7 billion in financing.
"A counter-drone weapon must be comprehensive. It should consist of various sensors and effectors operating simultaneously, first detecting and identifying objects, and then neutralizing them," Tomczyk adds.
New initiatives to combat drones will become another “layer” of the country's air defense network, alongside the long- and medium-range systems already deployed. All these elements are designed to protect against a wide range of air threats, including aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles.
"The way in which both Russians and Ukrainians are using unmanned weapon systems today shows that strengthening our capabilities in this area must be a priority in all spheres of activity: in the air, on land, and at sea," says Poland's Deputy Minister of Defense.
Drone wall in EU
Earlier, the European Commission proposed a drone wall project after repeated provocations by Russia in Europe, which would protect the eastern flank of the EU.
Recently, seven EU countries, Ukraine, and the European Commission held talks on the creation of a drone wall.
However, the project has sparked controversy within the bloc for a number of reasons. For example, the EU has different responses to Moscow's threats, and countries also disagree on the name and cost of the drone wall.
In the end, the EU decided to extend the drone wall to all EU countries, meaning that protection would not be limited to the bloc's eastern flank.
