Michal Jarocki

Naval Warfare

PREMIUM: Enhanced Polish MCM capabilities come at a price

Trials of ORP Kormoran have prompted design modifications to two vessels, delaying their handover to the Polish Navy and raising the overall cost of the programme

Unmanned Vehicles

PREMIUM: Czech Republic sheds more light on UCAV ambitions

Procurement of armed UAVs will plug a gap in the Czech military inventory

Naval Warfare

PREMIUM: Type 212CD talks hit a snag

Technological requirements seem to be a bone of contention between Germany and Norway, but both MoDs remain confident that the programme will proceed

Land Warfare

PREMIUM: Thunder rolls through Estonia

Procurement of the K9 155mm self-propelled howitzer by the Baltic republic reflects a trend across Central and Eastern Europe

Author

Michal Jarocki is a Shephard correspondent based in Warsaw, Poland. He is reporting on military and security developments in Central and Eastern Europe.

Michal has years of experience in writing stories / analyses for private and government-owned institutions.

Land Warfare

PREMIUM: Poland to extend lifespan of its Cold War-era IFVs

28th September 2020

Market analysis is underway by the Polish MoD Armament Inspectorate for the planned overhaul of obsolete, Soviet-era BMP-1 IFVs, designated in Polish service as the BWP-1. ...
Land Warfare

South Korean MBT enters the picture for Wilk

11th September 2020

Hyundai Rotem is proposing a modified MBT to meet the Wilk future tank procurement requirement in Poland. The South Korean manufacturer showcased a model of ...
Land Warfare

Poland and Czech Republic work on a new 4x4 platform

10th September 2020

Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) subsidiary Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) is to work with Czech firm Tatra Export on designing a new 4x4 armoured vehicle. HSW ...
Training

Ukraine shows interest in the Super Tucano

8th September 2020

Ukraine may cut its fleet of L-39 Albatros jet trainers in favour of more modern aircraft such as the Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano. The Ukrainian ...
Naval Warfare

PREMIUM: Poland resurrects Ratownik

8th September 2020

After a few months of uncertainty, Poland has relaunched the Ratownik programme to procure at least one modern rescue and salvage ship for the Polish ...
Land Warfare

Poland enhances military presence near Belarus

27th August 2020

A new tank battalion is being formed in eastern Poland, after the first batch of modified T-72M1 MBTs was received by the 19th Mechanized Brigade ...
Defence Notes

PREMIUM: EDCA signals deeper US ties with Poland

20th August 2020

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left of picture) and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak signed an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) on 15 August, ...
Unmanned Vehicles

PREMIUM: Logos and PIAP test new C-IED functionalities

9th July 2020

An inspection and reconnaissance UGV has been tested in Poland to function at a record 800m distance from the operator. Logos Imaging, a US-based manufacturer ...
Land Warfare

Poland embarks on quest for better VSHORAD

2nd July 2020

The Polish MoD Armament Inspectorate is procuring a new mobile very short range (VSHORAD) air defence system for the Polish Army under the Sona programme. ...
Land Warfare

Slovak vehicle procurement faces a blurry future

27th June 2020

The new leadership in the Slovak MoD faces a series of hard decisions over many procurement programmes that are expected to change the posture of ...
Defence Helicopter

Poland reshapes helicopter procurement strategy but more effort may be needed

4th June 2020

The Polish MoD has shifted its helicopter procurement strategy with the launch of the Perkoz programme, which calls for acquisition of at least 32 light ...
Land Warfare

Rosomak broadens and deepens its engagement with Patria

28th May 2020

Rosomak SA, a subsidiary of the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, PGZ), is looking to extend its licence from Finnish OEM Patria Land Systems ...
Land Warfare

PREMIUM: JV completes Javelin upgrade as Poland becomes latest FMS customer

11th May 2020

The Javelin Joint Venture team, comprising Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Lockheed Martin, has completed the first production Javelin F-Model (FGM-148F) ATGM. The F-model is ...
Naval Warfare

PREMIUM: COVID-19 prompts Poland to reassess naval plans

30th April 2020

The Polish MoD will have to reshape its Technical Modernization Plan and re-evaluate some of its procurement goals, due to the economic crisis that is ...
Air Warfare

PREMIUM: Loitering munition finds in Libya highlight export control gaps

24th April 2020

Israel may have to tighten its defence equipment export controls, after evidence emerged that Turkey has provided one of the sides in the Libyan civil ...
Unmanned Vehicles

PREMIUM: FlyEye may join battle against COVID-19

22nd April 2020

Polish company WB Group is offering its FlyEye 3.0 miniature UAS to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The offer was made last ...
Air Warfare

PREMIUM: PCO to manufacture Toplite in Poland

21st April 2020

Israel-based Rafael and Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, PGZ) subsidiary PCO are working together to produce the Toplite EOS electro-optic (EO) system for the ...
Land Warfare

PREMIUM: Poland seeks modern anti-tank missiles

16th April 2020

The Armament Inspectorate of the Polish MoD has launched a technical dialogue as it prepares to procure a series of man-portable, lightweight, single-shot anti-tank missile ...
Land Warfare

PREMIUM: Doubt shrouds Czech IFV procurement programme

2nd April 2020

The Czech Republic might delay or even cancel its programme to procure 210 new IFVs, which the country’s armed forces require urgently if they are to ...
Air Warfare

PREMIUM: Germany shows tentative interest in Apache

27th March 2020

Shephard understands that the German federal government has asked its US counterpart for information about the Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Over the years, Boeing ...