Israeli company Rafael is working in the field of defense and high technology takes part in the latest anti-tank program of Poland. This program in the field of combating tanks, named Ottokar-Brzoza, provides for the equipping of the Polish armed forces powerful new anti-tank complexes.
Complex NLOS has the largest radius in the range of missiles Rafael SPIKE company. According to the company, the range of these missiles is 32 kilometers, and this means that they cover a significant area of the lesion. The control unit of the launcher NLOS defines the purpose visually, without laser guidance, without radar tracking and without GPS. This reduces the probability of detection of these missiles and intercept them before the moment of contact with the target, and, in addition, they are more subtle. This installation use of the forward-deployed observers on the ground or unmanned aerial vehicles for transmission on Board the missile optical data on target and still in flight goals can be defined as high or low.
If the complexes of SPIKE NLOS would be approved, then the Israeli company Rafael will start the licensed production of these missiles on the Polish defence company “Mesko” (Mesko), i.e. they will be produced in Poland, is an attractive offer for the Polish defense industry.
Unlike the complex of Rafael is that eight missiles can be installed on a Polish wheeled armoured vehicle 8×8 Rosomak or BMP-1 Soviet production. In this case, the platform NLOS can give the obsolete armored personnel carrier new opportunities.
And for Poland, and the company Rafael, it is important that the new complex NLOS compatible with thousands of missiles SPIKE other versions, which already includes Poland, including the SPIKE LR and SPIKE LR2, which will provide the armed forces of Poland, greater logistics flexibility. In addition, NLOS launchers can take part in Polish Kruk helicopter program, which involves the replacement of outdated fleet of Mi-24 helicopters, which are still used in this country.
If the company Rafael wins this bid, the transaction volume may reach hundreds of millions of dollars and the final amount will depend on how many complexes NLOS will become Poland, and how large they will be delivered to the troops. Although these systems produced a country that is not a member of NATO, the SPIKE NLOS and other modifications of the SPIKE are compatible with NATO standards, which is also beneficial for the partner of the Alliance.
Compatibility with NATO standards is available, but questions remain
Polish anti-tank program is aimed at strengthening the country’s defense in opposition to a large-scale attack of armored troops from the East, namely from Russia. However, questions and uncertainty remain.
NATO has recently completed an exercise called “Defender of Europe 20” (Defender-Europe 20), accompanied by “the largest in more than 25 previous years transfer to Europe of soldiers located in the United States military bases — a total of 20 thousand servicemen,” reads the official message of the Alliance. Another exercise in the framework of “Defender of Europe” was focused on tactical collaboration. A total of 6 million Polish and American soldiers conducted a joint exercise in Poland.
Both of these exercises took place shortly after President trump has threatened to withdraw within the territory of Germany, American soldiers, however, the question of where they will be relocated, remains open. Considered even such remote places as GUAM or Hawaii, and then it will move in the framework of the reorientation of America towards the Pacific, although the question about moving to Poland formally located in Germany American soldiers not yet removed from the agenda.
The American presence in Poland is considered a key to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. As previously reported, in 2019, the trump and the Polish President Andrzej Duda has agreed to transfer thousands of us troops in Poland and increasing the us military presence in Poland is not only welcome, but is essential for countering the Russian aggression. With the Americans or without them — in any case, opportunities in Poland, apparently, will be increased.
Caleb Carlson lights in the magazine “national interest” issues related to defense topics; holds a master’s degree in public policy; publishes articles on American and Russian policy in the field of security, issues of European defence, as well as about German politics and culture.
