“This is the first such innovative, multi-functional system in Europe,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, adding that Polish companies will play a key role in its construction.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
The contract was signed in Kobyłka, near Warsaw, in the presence of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and officials from the Polish Armaments Agency.
The new system will be produced by a consortium of companies including the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), private defense firm APS and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
According to the Polish defense ministry, San will serve all branches of the armed forces and will be deployed in areas such as the eastern Podlasie region.
It is designed to detect and neutralize hostile drones using both "hard-kill" and electronic countermeasures.
Officials say the system offers low operational costs, making it suitable for countering mass-produced, low-cost drones.
The initiative was fast-tracked following a September 2025 incident in which Russian drones entered Polish airspace.
Tusk said traditional air defense methods—such as fighter jets and high-cost missiles—are inefficient against small, cheap drones.
“With San, we will respond to aerial threats more effectively, more wisely, and at a lower cost,” Tusk said.
He added that Polish industry leads the project, with foreign partners included only in areas where domestic capabilities remain limited.
The San system will be integrated into Poland’s layered air defense network, complementing the existing Patriot (medium-range), Narew (short-range) and Pilica (very short-range) systems.
According to unofficial estimates, the San program is expected to cost close to PLN 15 billion (EUR 3.5 billion) and be completed within two years.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP