September 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Rafael eyes Polish short-range air defense tender
KIELCE, Poland — Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems hopes it will secure a deal to supply the SkyCeptor interceptors under Poland's much-awaited, short-range Narew air defense tender. At the MSPO defense industry show in Kielce, Rafael's representatives said the company was determined to further develop its longstanding cooperation with the Polish industry as part of this program. Since 2004, local state-owned Mesko plant has produced the Spike LR anti-tank guided missile under a license acquired from Rafael. Poland has selected Raytheon's Patriot missiles to provide the country's medium-range air defense capacities, and the Israeli producer claims its system will be highly compatible with the U.S. missiles owing to the companies' cooperation. “Our technology is combat-proven and modular, and Poland would be able to perfectly integrate it with other layers of its air defense system. This technology is state-of-the-art, and we would also ensure it is transferred to the Polish defense industry, just like we did with the Spike contract,” Roland Steinbrecher, the regional director for international marketing and business development at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, told Defense News. Under the medium-range Wisla program, the Polish Ministry of Defence awarded a $4.75 billion deal to Raytheon in 2018. The Narew program is expected to be worth a further $5.3 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/09/08/rafael-eyes-polish-short-range-air-defense-tender/