Polish PILICA Anti-Aircraft Missile System Passes Preliminary Test

The Polish Anti-Aircraft Missile System (PSR-A) PILICA successfully concluded its preliminary tests at the Central Air Force Training Center in Ustka.

The tests which began from March 30, 2020, were carried on the prototype of the (PSR-A) PILICA. Their goal was to confirm the readiness to start handover tests before the first delivery of the system to the Polish Armed Forces, its manufacturer PGZ SA announced today.

During the 2-week preliminary tests, the operation of individual system components was checked when firing at imitation air targets. Practical rate of fire was checked against a moving object (armored transporter imitator) and rocket shooting was carried out with the use of the GROM training and operating rocket.

The tracking of real targets using Su-22 fighter jet was also checked, mainly in terms of the ability to steer, track and maintain tracking for different flight trajectories and speeds, and to check the possibilities of combating such types of aircraft platforms using a rocket channel.

Initial tests were carried out in the configuration: command station, two fire units and using for the first time the target radiolocation station SRL-97 with artillery tractors and ammunition cart in the PILICA system. One of the fire units was placed on an artillery tractor, which directly fired.

In the coming years, 6 PILICA systems will be delivered to the Polish army. One system includes: 6 fire units with artillery tractors, command station, radar station, 2 transport vehicles and 2 ammunition vehicles. Each fire unit of the PILICA system consists of two 23 mm caliber cannons and two GROM / PIORUN anti-aircraft missile launchers. Each set has its own optoelectronic head with a thermal imaging camera and laser rangefinder.

This configuration gives the PILICA system the ability to conduct autonomous operations, but also to operate as part of an integrated, multi-layered anti-aircraft defense as a very short range system (VSHORAD).