Will the Real UAV Revolution Begin in Poland?

Polish Defense Ministry announces plan to replace all antiquated combat aircraft with armed UAVs by 2014.

Poland’s Defense Ministry has announced plans to replace its fleet of aging Russian Sukhoi-22 combat aircraft with armed UAVs. It was learned that Warsaw's defense ministry has decided not to extend the operational life of 38 aging combat aircraft, and they will be decommissioned in 2014.

The decision is to fill the gap with 30 armed UAVs stationed in Polish air force bases by 2018. According to the plan, the armed UAVs will be stationed at Poland's 21st airbase in Świdwin in Poland’s northwestern region, where the antiquated Sukhoi-22 aircraft are presently stationed.

In June, the Polish Defense Ministry confirmed a plan for acquiring 123 to 205 UAVs at a total investment of $312 million. The Israeli company Aeronautics has supplied UAVs to Poland for intelligence purposes, some of which are being operated by the Polish forces in Afghanistan.

It seems that Poland’s large-scale acquisition plan will bring all the Israeli UAV manufacturers there to try to win portions of the large budget.