The Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak approved a performance contract on delivery of the Bystra radars for the Pilica+ systems. PGZ-Pilica consortium is the contracting party, within the framework of the agreement signed with the Armament Agency. PIT-RADWAR, meanwhile, is the manufacturer of the radars within the consortium – it has developed the Bystra system. This is a follow-on contract, because the first contract is already being implemented, and the first radar stations will be delivered to the Polish Army this year. This contract is for another 22 radar stations, and is worth PLN PLN 1.1 billion, while deliveries would be finalized by 2028. The mechanism for the production of the stations is already set up.
The Bystra Redeployable Radar is designed for detecting and localizing air targets at short ranges and for supporting air-defense units that cover tactical battle groups against attacks from the air. Bystra is a multifunction and multi-mission radar with versatile capabilities and various applications, including detection and tracking of typical air threats as combat aircrafts and helicopters, as well as missiles, UAVs and mortar shells. In each mode, an omnidirectional search is performed by rotating the antenna and by scanning space using software formed antenna beams. This enables the effective use of the radar resources and allows for adjusting search patterns to characteristics of a deployment site and to the accomplished function or the combat mission.
The Pilica+ system would include elements of the PSR-A Pilica solution, the command station, SHORAD radar, six fire units with tractors, communications subsystem, and logistics support assets – ammunition carriers and transport vehicles. The PSR-A Pilica+ systems would be able to conduct operations autonomously, across a broad range of weather conditions and with poor visibility, with the use of passive target recognition and tracking sensors, based on radar-derived data sent from the battery command station. The PSR-A Pilica+ systems would be able to conduct operations autonomously, across a broad range of weather conditions and with poor visibility, with the use of passive target recognition and tracking sensors, based on radar-derived data sent from the battery command station.
PSR-A Pilica is a very short-range anti-aircraft system (VSHORAD), which is an element of the lowest layer of air defense in the field of combating unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, airplanes and cruise missiles at a distance of up to 6500 m, and point protection of important areas or objects. The main armament of the Pilica system is the ZUR-23-2SP Jodek missile and artillery set consisting of a double anti-aircraft gun with a theoretical rate of fire of 2000 rounds/min and an effective fire range of up to 3 km, which is a Polish modification of the 23 mm ZU-23-2 gun, combined with two PPZR Grom or Piorun missile launchers with a range of 6.5 km.