Poland preparing 2bn anti-drone fortifications along its eastern border amid Russian threat

"We expect to have the first capabilities of the system in roughly six months, perhaps even sooner. And the full system will take 24 months to complete, the deputy defence minister, Cezary Tomczyk, told the Guardian in an interview in Warsaw. Tomczyk said the new air defence systems would be integrated into an older line of protection constructed a decade ago. He said it would involve different layers of defence, including machine guns, cannon, missiles and drone-jamming systems."

"More than a dozen suspected Russian drones entered Polish airspace in September, in an incident that led to airport closures, fighter jets being scrambled, and damage to buildings on the ground as drones were shot down. The foreign minister, Radosaw Sikorski, told the Guardian at the time that the attacks, which involved drones not carrying any ammunition, were an attempt by Russia to test us without starting a war."

"Some of this is for use only in extreme or war conditions. For example, these multi-barrel machine guns are difficult to use in peacetime, because everything that goes up must go down, he said. Since then, Poland has updated plans already in the works to reinforce its eastern borders. While no anti-drone system can be fully effective against the kind of systematic and massive targeting that Ukraine has been subjected to, European nations along the eastern flank are scrambling to upgrade their systems."

Poland expects initial anti-drone capabilities within roughly six months and full deployment of a layered fortification along the eastern border within 24 months. The system will integrate into an older protection line built a decade ago and will include machine guns, cannon, missiles, and drone-jamming systems, with some assets reserved for extreme or wartime use because multi-barrel guns pose peacetime risks. The move follows a September incursion when more than a dozen suspected Russian drones entered Polish airspace, causing airport closures, scrambled fighter jets, and ground damage as drones were shot down. The programme is estimated to cost more than €2bn (about £1.75bn).

Read at www.theguardian.com