Poland has awarded a 16-billion Norwegian-krone ($1.65-billion) contract to a consortium led by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) to deliver a new generation of counter-drone air defense systems. The procurement is part of the San air defense program, aimed at countering the rapidly expanding threat posed by unmanned aerial systems across the battlefield.
The contract covers the delivery of 18 air defense batteries built around Kongsberg’s Protector remote-controlled weapon station, which can be equipped with a wide range of effectors including automatic cannons, guided missiles, and interceptor drones. As part of the consortium, PGZ subsidiary Advanced Protection Systems will supply the command-and-control (C2) architecture, integrating sensors and effectors while ensuring interoperability with Poland’s layered air defense network.
The Protector family is designed for flexible deployment across static and mobile land platforms as well as maritime applications. It includes systems such as the Medium Caliber Turret (MCT30) and the RS4 and RS6 remote weapon stations, offering modular payload options ranging from small-caliber machine guns to medium-caliber automatic cannons. Integrated electro-optical and infrared sensor suites enable effective day-and-night operations in diverse operational environments.
Under the San program, Poland plans to field a multi-layered air defense capability combining artillery systems, rockets, interceptor drones, and non-kinetic effectors. Each battery will be equipped with active radar, passive radio-frequency sensors, and optical systems to detect, track, and classify both unmanned and crewed airborne threats, significantly strengthening Poland’s short-range air defense posture.
