Industry
Polish Armed Forces Receive First Elements of the Gladius Strike-Recon UAV System
On 15th December, the Armament Agency of the Polish MoD announced that deliveries of the first elements, of the unmanned search and strike system named Gladius, have been completed. The system would be operated by the 18th Artillery Regiment based in Nowa Dęba.
The Armament Agency announced that the artillerymen from the "Iron Division" have taken delivery of two UAV launchers, and two Gladius training UAVs. This would make it possible to begin operator training for those systems before any further deliveries happen. The agreement value in total has been defined as PLN 2 bn., while the deliveries of further elements of the battery-level Gladius modules are expected to happen in the second half of the upcoming year.
15 grudnia zostały zrealizowane dostawy pierwszych elementów wchodzących w skład bezzałogowego systemu poszukiwawczo-uderzeniowego #GLADIUS na potrzeby 18 Pułku Artylerii @Zelazna_Dywizja.@WBGroup_PL dostarczyła 2 wyrzutnie i 2 treningowe BSP.https://t.co/c303hqgOuy pic.twitter.com/rHkaAGzDFx
— Krzysztof Płatek (@krzysztof_atek) December 15, 2022
The release issued by the Armament Agency reads that the aforesaid deliveries shall be viewed as a result of the agreement on delivery of the unmanned Gladius search and strike systems, signed on 6th May 2022, by and between the Treasury (Armament Agency), and WB Electronics S.A. The agreement covers the delivery of 4 Gladius battery-level unmanned search and strike systems, and this also includes training and a logistics support package. The logistics package includes the delivery of maintenance kits and maintenance services for the UAVs. The training package, meanwhile, apart from a training programme for the operators, also includes training UAVs and Gladius UAV simulators.
Gladius battery search and strike systems modules would be destined for conducting precise strikes against targets at a range of 100 kilometres and to collect aerial IMINT with the use of reconnaissance UAVs of the FT-5 family, equipped with optronic sensors allowing them to record imagery in daylight and with the use of IR spectrum.
Gladius UCAVs integrated with the Topaz fire control system used by the Polish Armed Forces would be acting as the effectors. The battery module would include launchers, command vehicles, ammunition/technical support carriers, and a stock of Gladius UCAVs.