On August 12, at the 3rd Warsaw Air Defense Missile Brigade in Sochaczew, Huta Stalowa Wola SA signed an industrial subcontract with Raytheon Polska Sp. z o. o., owned by RTX Corporation, for the production of 48 M903 missile launchers..
The M903 launchers are part of the Patriot air and missile defense system ordered by the Polish Armed Forces as part of the second phase of the Wisła medium-range air defense missile system (ZROP-SZ) acquisition program.
The setting of the event was exceptionally ceremonial thanks to the numerous guests, including: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Secretary of State in the Ministry of National Defense Paweł Bejda, Secretary of State in the Ministry of State Assets Marcin Kulasek, United States Ambassador to Poland Marek Brzezinski, Head of the Air and Missile Defense Directorate – Deputy Inspector of the Military Branches of the General Command of the Armed Forces Branches Brig. Gen. Kazimierz Dyński, Head of the Armaments Agency Brig. Gen. Artur Kuptel, Deputy Head of the Armaments Agency Brig. Gen. Michał Marciniak, Head of the Patriot Program at RTX John David Green, as well as members of the board of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA Arkadiusz Bąk and Jan Grabowski.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Huta Stalowa Wola SA by the company’s CEO Wojciech Kędziera and Vice President Barbara Cena, and on behalf of Raytheon Polska by the CEO Caroline Touchstone and Vice President Paulia Epler. Photo. Andrzej Kiński
The agreement was signed on behalf of Huta Stalowa Wola SA by: President of the Management Board of the company Wojciech Kędziera and Vice President of the Management Board Barbara Cena, and on behalf of Raytheon Polska by President of the Management Board Caroline Touchstone and Vice President of the Management Board Paulia Epler. As mentioned, the subject of the agreement, concluded in the B2B (business-to-business) formula, is 48 M903 launchers, which will be part of six batteries (12 fire units) of the Patriot system ordered by the Polish Ministry of National Defense under the second phase of the Wisła program. They will be manufactured by the Wisła Production and Service Center at HSW SA, and their delivery is to take place in the years 2027-2029. The value of the contract has not been disclosed, but – for obvious reasons – it is lower than the value of the LOA (Letter of Offer and Acceptance) intergovernmental agreement under the FMS (Foreign Military Sales) program, concluded on September 5, 2023 with the United States administration for the delivery of 48 M903 launchers along with spare parts and associated services. Its value amounted to USD 1.23 billion net (approx. PLN 5 billion net/approx. PLN 6.1 billion gross).
The floor was taken by, among others, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Photo. Andrzej Kiński
Polish companies will be responsible for the production of some of the launcher’s mechanical and electronic assemblies, both under offset and commercial agreements with Lockheed Martin and RTX corporations, while Huta Stalowa Wola SA will be responsible for the production of the chassis and other mechanical and electrical elements, as well as the assembly of the entire system. The main Polish subcontractors will be: Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne SA (Enhanced Electronics System/ELES electronic system, Junction Box/J-Box, Motor Control Unit/MCU engine controller module, Data Link Terminal Module/DLTM data transmission system electronics module set), Zakłady Mechaniczne “Tarnów” SA (linear and rotary actuators for the lift and rotation of the launcher assembly) and TELDAT Sp. z oo sp. k. (routers).
In the Polish Armaments Group, which includes three of the four aforementioned Polish industrial entities, the PGZ-WISŁA consortium is responsible for the implementation of the Wisła program, consisting of: Polish Armaments Group SA (consortium leader), Huta Stalowa Wola SA, MESKO SA, PIT-RADWAR SA, Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne SA, Jelcz Sp. z o. o., Huta Stalowa Wola SA Autosan Branch in Sanok, Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej SA, Wojskowe Zakłady Uzbrojenia SA, Zakłady Mechaniczne “Tarnów” SA, Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 1 SA, Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2 SA, PCO SA and Wojskowe Zakłady Łączności No. 1 SA
For Huta Stalowa Wola SA, this is already the second industrial subcontract for the production of M903 launchers. The first was concluded on March 14, 2019 with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and concerned 16 launchers ordered by the Ministry of National Defense as part of the first phase of Wisła, covering the delivery of two batteries (four fire units) of the Patriot system. In preparation for the implementation of this contract, HSW SA made the necessary investments, building the Production and Assembly Center, which may ultimately also take over the function of the service, maintenance and repair center for M903 launchers used by current and future users of the Patriot system. HSW SA is starting to assemble the launchers, taking over the documentation and know-how from American partners, and based on this, it independently prepared technical and technological documentation, and also underwent audits confirming compliance with all quality standards required by RTX. The ordered launchers were delivered in 2022-2023.
The agreement for the production of the Patriot M903 missile launcher is another thread that strengthens our relations with one of our strategic partners, Raytheon. Relations that would not have been possible to build if not for the cooperation of the Polish and American governments and the openness to dialogue of PGZ and Raytheon. This agreement is also another important reference for HSW SA in applying for the production of launchers for export to other users of the Patriot system. I am convinced that the implementation of the second phase of the Wisła program will not only strengthen our Polish-American industrial partnership, providing a development impulse for the Polish Armaments Group, but will also be a step a milestone in building a system that guarantees the security of Poland’s airspace and thus NATO’s eastern flank – said Arkadiusz Bąk, member of the management board of PGZ SA.
The agreement signed today is a testament to the fruitful, 10-year partnership between Raytheon and the Polish defense industry. 16 launchers manufactured in Poland by Huta Stalowa Wola have already been deployed, and today we are expanding our cooperation with a contract to produce 48 launchers for six additional Patriot batteries, which will serve the defense of Poland and which will enhance the competence of the defense industry. Raytheon is committed to cooperation with Poland and partnership with Polish companies We look forward to continuing our cooperation with Huta Stalowa Wola and other PGZ companies in the development of key components of the Patriot system and the LTAMDS radar in the second phase of the Wisła program. – said Caroline Touchstone, CEO of Raytheon Polska Sp. z o. o.
Andrzej Kiński based on the PGZ SA announcement
