Ukraine’s state-owned defense industrial group, UkrOboronProm offering Polish company WB Electronics to jointly develop an improved version of surface-launched air defence system that uses the R-27 new medium-range air defense system developed by ARTEM state joint stock holding company. During the negotiations held in March 2017 Ukroboronprom State Concern proposed to the Ministry of National Defense of Poland to cooperate under the “Narew” short range air defence system programme being implemented by Poland’s PGZ jointly with the European defense consortium MBDA. Ukraine’s project has the draft name R-27 ADS (Air Defense System).
The R-27 ADS medium-range missile system will be used to protect the important buildings, objects as well as ground troops against all types of aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, guided weapons, air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-radar rockets and large-calibre rockets. The new air defense system will have a range of up to about 30 km for a missile with infrared homing (WICHER-ET), 25 km for a version with active-radar homing (WICHER-EA) and almost 110 km for passive radar version (WICHER PEP).
Poland is expected to purchase a total of 19 surface-to-air missile batteries under the Narew programme, with the first scheduled to enter service before 2022. Some elements of the system, including airborne radar, missile radar, mobile firing positions, missile tracking and control systems, and command and communication systems will be made in Poland. The air defense system also could be mounted on a locally produced Jelcz 662D truck. The total mass of the chassis (maximum load) is 14,000 kg (11,000 kg). The new medium-range air defense system will have a vertical launching system.
In summer 2016, the consortium formed by Ukraine’s Spectechnoexport and Poland’s WB Electronics won a tender to supply R-27P1 medium-range air-to-air missiles for MiG-21 fighter jets of the Polish Air Force. In December 2016, Ukroboronprom and Poland’s WB Electronics S.A. signed a cooperation agreement on creation of new samples of antiaircraft and surface-to-air missile weapons. State Foreign Trade Enterprise «SpetsTechnoExport» is fully state-run Ukrainian entity focused on export-import activities at foreign armaments markets. WB Electronics S.A. manufactures and supplies communication, command and control systems, radio communications, and electronics and IT for the Polish army and the defense sector.