Indra wins one of Europe's largest defence radar contracts
Indra has closed with the Polish Ministry of Defence one of the largest ground radar contracts tendered in Europe this year: it will implement up to 15 transportable systems for military and dual air traffic control in air bases throughout the country, thus contributing to reinforce the operability of the Polish Air Force, a country that is currently playing a key role in the defence of the continent.
The agreement signed with the Polish Armament Agency contemplates the delivery of the first eight systems until 2028, with an optional extension of seven additional systems until 2031.
Indra competed with the most important international companies in the sector to win the contract, proving once again its position as one of the main global suppliers of military, civil and dual-use radars and its capacity to meet the needs of the most modern armies.
The primary radar that Indra will implement in the bases meets the demanding requirements of the Polish Air Force and is distinguished by its top-level performance in terms of determining the 3D position and trajectory of the aircraft, even under the most difficult operating conditions, as well as its capacity to integrate the information of the associated friend-of-friend (IFF) radar, which allows it to discriminate its own and allied aircraft from the rest of the traffic in flight.
Indra's solid-state system ─completely based on electronic components that provide greater transmission/reception efficiency─ incorporates a completely digital signal processing, being able to operate in environments with interference caused by orography, adverse meteorology, countermeasures, or reflections caused by wind turbines. Equipped with a weather channel, it allows aircraft to be diverted out of storms if necessary. Its redundant design provides very high operational availability and, coupled with comprehensive remote monitoring, allows it to operate in unattended mode 24/7.
The contract comes at a time when countries across Europe, and especially in the north of the continent, are reinforcing their defence with the most sophisticated technologies available.
In this sense, air bases are one of the most important assets to guarantee the air defence of any country and to have an efficient and agile air force. Indra's systems provide exceptional situational awareness, which facilitates the approach of aircraft as well as landings and take-offs, guaranteeing fluidity in the management of air operations in coverage and the capacity for immediate response to any threat.
The systems that Indra will deliver, including towers and antennas, offer the additional advantage that they can be transported in shelters for deployment wherever they are needed, providing maximum operational flexibility. They also offer a full capability to interoperate with other allied air forces, which is vital when coordinating complex multinational operations.
In addition, data from the new radars can be safely exploited by civil air traffic control systems, improving air safety throughout the country. In this respect, the systems comply with the strictest applicable NATO, air navigation and information security standards.
Indra develops state-of-the-art radars covering airspace and space surveillance, tactical missile defence and low-level drone detection. In addition to Spain, European countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Portugal, Denmark and Lithuania operate with the company's radars, and it is also the supplier of mobile radars for NATO's deployable component.
In Poland, Indra has a long track record of collaborating with the country's authorities and main companies in the modernisation of critical infrastructures. With the air navigation services provider PANSA, it has completely modernised Poland's air traffic management. It also worked with the Gdansk Port Authority on the implementation of the maritime traffic management system and with the Navy on the implementation of satellite communications systems in the Kormoran frigates.