Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich has unveiled the schedule for a tender to acquire a new medium-range unmanned air vehicle system to be used by Polish land forces in Afghanistan.
Warsaw launched the tender process on 1 December by issuing a request to possible suppliers, says Klich. Sources suggest the requirement could be met by one of three Israeli companies.
The selected system will be required to provide reconnaissance and target acquisition services for ground artillery, and should also have an automatic landing capability. The equipment must also be suitable for integration with Poland's Topaz command and control system.
An interim capability using two leased systems should be in use in Afghanistan by April 2010, with these to be replaced with two Polish-owned systems by the end of the year. Two more would arrive in theatre during 2011.
Polish forces in Afghanistan currently rely on information gathered by UAVs flown by French and US personnel.
Source: Flight International
