Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. produced and sent two complete M903 launchers – part of Wisła anti-aircraft system – in October 2021.
This is part of the subcontracting agreement to the Foreign Military Sales contract from 2018 between the USA government and Raytheon Technologies company – the Patriot producer and supplier – the purchase base for the Wisła systems for The Republic of Poland Forces.
Designing and production of the following components for the Patriot sets in Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa companies have been one of the many ways of contribution to medium-range air and missile defense Wisła systems excuision. Polish-American cooperation of the weapons industry translates into generation leap of the Polish Forces to protect their air zone – indicated Sebastian Chwałek, PGZ S.A Chairman.
Additional two M903 missiles launchers continue assembly and tests in Huta Stalowa Wola. They will be released by the end of 2021. The contract is executed under the partnership principals and the parties emphasise aqurate, proper and open cooperation which is indicated by no delays in the supplies of the Patriot launchers to Polish Forces.
These are the first M903 Patriot missile launchers produced in HSW S.A. I hope that those first launchers produced in Poland will soon equip military forces – says Bartłomiej Zając, The Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. Chairman – We have gained much experience during the order realisation. I can boldly confirm that Huta Stalowa Wola has been a good and reliable partner for the American party – he added.
The executive agreement has been performed under the Polish and American government agreement concluded on 28th of March 2018 for the Wisła air missile defense sets based on the Patriot system for the Polish Forces. Totally, the Huta Stalowa Wola will produce 16 M903 launchers under the agreement premises which will equip two Wisła system batteries.
The Huta Stalowa Wola under the air mid-range defense Wisła system production programme built the production and assembly centre, which may also be transferred into the service, repair and maintenance centre for the M903 Patriot launcher for the present and future users.
The PGZ-WISŁA consortium responsible for the implementation of the program on the part of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa consists of fourteen entities: PGZ S.A. (consortium leader), Huta Stalowa Wola S.A., MESKO S.A., PIT-RADWAR S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne S.A., Jelcz sp. z o.o., Autosan sp. z o.o., Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Uzbrojenia S.A., Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze nr 1 S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze nr 2 S.A., PCO S.A. and Wojskowe Zakłady Łączności nr 1 S.A. Apart from that, some not listed companies from the PGZ participated in the programme as the sub-suppliers.
The Wisła programme aim has been to acquire medium-range air defense missile sets with the network-centric connection and command system. Within the first part of the programme Poland will gain 2 batteries (16 launchers) of the Patriot system including, among others, the PAC-3 MSE and IBCS system. In addition to the launchers, the companies that are part of the PGZ also manufacture a number of other elements of the sets, including: logistic vehicles, transport and loading vehicles, components of the launcher, missiles and radar systems.