Only through cooperation based on fair principles, in which both parties are open to the transfer of cognition and skills, we can jointly supply products of the Polish army," said Jan Grabowski of the Management Board of the Polish Armed Forces Group during the 3rd Polish-Korean Conference of Defence manufacture Cooperation held on 8 November by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Warsaw.
After Russia's armed attack on Ukraine in February 2022, South Korea became Poland's most crucial defence partner next to the United States. All thanks to multi-billion-dollar supply agreements produced on the Korean peninsula – K2 Black Panther tanks, multi-guided K239 Chunmoo rocket launchers, 155 mm cannonhoubic K9 Thunder, and FA-50 school and combat aircraft.
The main origin that led the Polish government to opt for cooperation with the far east partner was the rate of launching supplies of purchased equipment. Unlike most arms manufacturers, South Korea was able to give the Polish Army the first contracted copies in just a fewer months. This was critical for the addition of equipment that Poland had previously donated to the fighting Ukraine. Seoul besides committed himself to transferring technology to the Polish manufacture and expressed his willingness to cooperate in manufacturing Polish-made versions of Korean tanks, launchers and cannons.
In the case of FA-50 aircraft, the Korean side has undertaken to make and manufacture the Polish version of the machine, with the FA-50PL designation. The improvements were intended to include fresh radars and modifications to usage the latest kind of weapons. Unfortunately, the contracts concluded in the last 2 years have not yet resulted in the launch of K2, K239 and K9. Yes, the K239 launchers supplied to our units are equipped with Polish chassis and like tanks and operates in home communication systems, but far from naming specified a process the Polonization of defence products.
Representatives of Polish and Korean companies: defence companies, armed forces and government institutions liable for acquiring fresh military equipment discussed the anticipation of expanding cooperation between Polish and Korean armed forces present in Warsaw. The conference entitled "3rd Polish-Korean Defence manufacture Cooperation Conference" was organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Poland.
We know how to do this.
Ambassador Hoonmin Lim, who opened the conference, stressed that his country prioritises cooperation with Poland in the field of defence and sees it not only through the prism of supplies of military equipment, but by close economical and geopolitical relations between our countries. Sangman Kim, representing the DAPA Agency at the conference, stressed the tremendous experience of DAPA in both the production of equipment and its exports. defence Acquisition Agency The Administration Program is simply a government institution that purchases arms for the Korean Armed Forces and coordinates all export contracts. “We know how to do this, how to effectively and rapidly transfer advanced weapon systems to another countries,” said a Korean official. – Our products, which are ranked among the best in the world, did not come from anything. For everyone, this was a difficult, demanding process. We learned from our mistakes and inactive learn," he added.
Fair cooperation
At the conference, representatives of the Polish armed forces were rather agreeable to stress that although they see large possible in cooperation with Korean companies, they are not easy partners. – Only through cooperation based on fair principles, in which both parties are open to the transfer of cognition and skills, we can supply Polish Army products together. For us, as a country and industry, the precedence must be to start production on the spot. Service and service capabilities are the absolute minimum – said Jan Grabowski, associate of the Management Board of the Polish Armed Forces Group. In his opinion, the best evidence that cooperation with Korean actors can be effective for both parties is the Crab cannonhaubic program. “We remember perfectly that it was Korean Techwin, present Hanwha, who agreed to sale us a licence on the chassis to Krab, which we were incapable to make effectively ourselves”, he explained.
The president of the WB Group, Piotr Wojciechowski, added that cooperation with South Korea does not should be a one-way road for Polish armed forces. “We have late signed a contract to export our solutions to this country, and although it may not be high, the velocity of its implementation may envy us even Koreans. The equipment is already in this country and we are leaving any day with training of the soldiers there – he said.
