Ramona Adams
MBDA has entered into an agreement with state-owned Polish defense group Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa to boost cooperation on missile-related technologies.
The strategic partnership agreement also involves the potential transfer of MBDA’s missile technologies to companies under the PGZ group and the companies’ inclusion in MBDA’s international supply chain, the missile manufacturer said Feb. 2.
MBDA noted the execution of the deal’s terms is dependent on the possible decision of Poland’s defense ministry to procure the company’s missile products.
“This is a very important day for us, as it opens the perspective of cooperation between defense industries in European countries which are NATO members,” said Arkadiusz Siwko, president of the managing board of PGZ.
“[Cooperation] is the best way to develop defense industrial capabilities within the partner nation which then guarantees them free access to capability and so meets their requirements for sovereignty and freedom of use,” added Paul Stanley, vice president for Northern Europe at MBDA.
The company said the agreement will work to build on the industrial skills and knowledge of PGZ companies and establish a framework for future partnership on missile programs under the Polish military’s Technical Modernization Plan such as the Narew short-range air defense system.
MBDA and PGZ companies will collaborate on missiles and missile elements such as launchers, command-and-control systems and data transmission systems as well as support vehicles, system integration, program management, servicing and training.
PGZ includes more than 60 companies from Poland’s defense, shipbuilding and technology industries.
