Defence

The Polish navy has received its first of three PZL Mielec M28 Bryza-1R bis maritime patrol aircraft also capable of conducting anti-submarine warfare tasks - a new capability for the service.

Delivered to the 30th naval squadron at Siemirowice, the aircraft carries an SRM-800 maritime surveillance system supplied by the Warsaw-based Telecommunications Research Institute, with this including a belly-mounted ARS-800 radar capable of tracking up to 200 targets to a range of over 185km (100nm).

Equipped with a boom-housed magnetic anomaly detector and sonobuoys for ASW tasks, the aircraft is also intended to perform duties including sea surface surveillance, search and rescue, economic exclusion zone, customs, enviromental and fisheries protection, and to detect illegal immigrants and terrorist activities.

Other mission equipment includes a FLIR Systems Star Safire II electro-optical/infrared sensor turret, Link 11 datalink, identification friend-or-foe system and countermeasures suite for self protection, plus liferafts and buoys for rescue missions.

The navy will receive a further two ASW-capable Bryzas equipped with night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpits. The aircraft operates with a crew of six, and offers an endurance of around 4h.