Mariusz Błaszczak made the declaration at a military drill in northern Poland on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The defence minister watched Polish soldiers test-fire the country’s Mała Narew (Small Narew) new-generation short-range air defence system, according to officials.
Błaszczak told reporters at a training area in the northern town of Ustka: “The Polish Army is well-equipped to effectively protect Polish skies against air threats.”
He said: “The biggest challenge is posed not by aircraft, but by cruise rockets and drones.”
The defence minister added: “Today’s test-firing exercise confirmed that our soldiers are well-trained. Before the end of June, the modern weaponry making up the Mała Narew system will be deployed to protect Polish skies against potential attacks using cruise rockets or drones.”
Short-range air defence system for Polish Army
Błaszczak noted that the Mała Narew short-range air defence system consists of CAMM anti-air missiles carried by so-called iLaunchers, both of which are produced by British arms contractor MBDA UK.
The iLaunchers for the Polish Army are integrated with a Polish Jelcz truck chassis, according to officials.
The defence minister told reporters that Poland had placed a PLN 1.65 billion (EUR 371 million) order for the air defence system, as an “urgent requirement,” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in April last year.
In all, Poland ordered two batteries of the system, with each battery comprising three iLaunchers and each iLauncher housing eight CAMM missiles, officials said.
Błaszczak told reporters that the first CAMM/iLauncher battery reached the Polish Army in October 2022, and went to the 18th Mechanised Division, which is “tasked with protecting eastern Poland.”
He said: “We have developed this capability in a record short time.”
Meanwhile, the 16th Mechanised Division, “responsible for the security of northeastern Poland” and already trained to use the Mała Narew system, will be equipped with this capability “before the end of the year,” the defence minister said, as quoted by the PAP news agency.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 484 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl, polska-zbrojna.pl