Unmanned reconnaissance complex E-310

Thanks to the use of this type of launcher, as well as the ability to parachute, the system does not require an airstrip or even an occasional strip of grass. Photo by PGZ SA

Recent decisions by the Ministry of National Defense pave the way for the acquisition of E-310 tactical short-range UAVs for the Polish Armed Forces and procurement at a rapid pace. At the same time, this may significantly affect the development of systems of this type of other classes for the Polish army.

On July 19, the head of the Weapons Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defense, Brig. Dr. Adam Duda presented suggestions about the BSP acquisition plan for the Polish Armed Forces and informed, in particular, about the cancellation of proceedings against two of the six classes of unmanned aerial vehicles that the Polish Army is trying to acquire. Under the new procedure, designs proposed by government entities will be selected in the categories of mini-UAV (codenamed Wizjer) and short-range tactical UAV (Orlik).

As for the Wizjer system, which will be purchased in 15 sets (40 in total) of 4-5 unmanned aerial vehicles each, today it is still difficult to say which design will be chosen, because it is not entirely clear which system will be offered by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA and who will be her partner in this class. However, one can more clearly select a short-range tactical UAV candidate, for which to purchase 12 (15 in total) sets of 3-5 flying cameras. This will almost certainly be the E-310 system, developed by a consortium of PIT-Radwar SA and WZL No. 2 SA (both owned by PGZ SA) in collaboration with a strategic subcontractor, the private company Eurotech. Its program today can be described as mature, as its history spans four years.

For the past few years, the Ministry of National Defense has viewed Orlik as the largest and most complex system that the Polish defense industry could design and build on its own. That approach changed last August, when then-Deputy Minister of National Defense Czesław Mroczek said that Polish companies could also offer the Polish Armed Forces a medium-range tactical UAV (codenamed Gryf). However, to this day, none of the structures of this class has been disclosed, and now it is the E-310 that is one of the largest and most complex Polish unmanned systems.

The project was initiated by Mielec-based Eurotech in 2012, a supplier of Szogun unmanned target aircraft, powered by the Vermin system and used to train air defense forces.