On 15–19 May 2017 Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. upon an invitation by the Minister of National Defence, hosted the SERA (Session Européenne des Responsables d’Armement/European Session for Armament Officials) training participant. The training is organized annually by L’Institut des hautes études de Défense nationale (IHEDN) in cooperation with the Office of the Prime Minister of the French Republic. Participants include senior government officials and managers of defence sector companies. In the current, four-week training cycle sessions took place in France, UK and in Poland.
The 29th SERA training in Poland was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defence. Apart from presenting the assumptions for National Armament Policy and the Plan of Technical Modernization of Polish Armed Forces by MoND representatives, it also involved study visits to PIT-RADWAR S.A. and ROSOMAK S.A., as well as a demonstration of equipment of HSW S.A., DEZAMET S.A. and ZM Tarnów S.A. at Nowa Dęba training grounds.
The participants of the course were presented with the HSW S.A.’s presentation about the most significant strategic projects and key products, including the first company fire module 120mm self-propelled mortars ‘RAK’ made by HSW S.A., 155mm self-propelled howitzer ‘KRAB’, scattered mine laying vehicle ‘BAOBAB’ as well as the rocket launcher ‘Langusta II’.
This year’s SERA training was an excellent opportunity to present HSW S.A.’s equipment and offer to a wide range of European armament experts. During talks between company representatives with participants responsible for defense cooperation in Europe possibilities of starting or continuing industrial or R&D cooperation and questions related to finding new export markets outside Europe were discussed.
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa has been actively participating in SERA training each year delegating a national councillor, Jolanta Świeściak from the Innovation & New Technologies Office of PGZ S.A. Invitations to participate in 29th SERA training were also extended to a Member of the Managing Board of PGZ S.A. Szczepan Ruman and Beata Górka-Winter, PhD, Deputy Director of Strategy Office for Analyses ofPGZ S.A.
This year’s sessions included national and European presentations, by e.g. the European Commission, European Defense Agency, European Space Agency, National Armament Directors, as well as study visits to defense companies in France, UK and Poland. An important element of the training is preparing recommendations on different aspects of European-level cooperation.
