Poland Outlines Military Cooperation Within European Space Agency

September 14, 2012 defpro.com

On Thursday, September 13, Polish Minister of National Defence Tomasz Siemoniak participated in the ceremony of signing European Space Agency Accession Agreement held in Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. The Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak and Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General signed the document.

Ratification of the document is planned for November 16 in order to enable Poland to participate in autumn talks on Agency's budget.

The Ministry of National Defence supports Poland's accession to ESA as it can see the prospects of using space technology by Polish Armed Forces. Poland's office of ESA will be subordinate to the Ministry of Economy. Representatives of Ministry of National Defence will join its structures as the majority of ESA activities are connected with security and defence.

Poland's membership in ESA will facilitate developing enterprises that have already started: building national capabilities within image reconnaissance and communication for public administration and uniform services, developing new armament and defence systems concerning observing the surface of the earth, command support and imaging of the battle field.

Poland's presence in ESA will also simplify cooperation within international projects that have already started e.g. - satellite defence agreement with Italy or participation in Multinational Space-based Imaging System for Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Observation (MUSIS).

Poland has been an ESA European Cooperating State since April 2007. At the moment there are 19 members of ESA: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania and the United Kingdom. Canada takes part in some projects under a Cooperation agreement.

For more information about ESA, please go to: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html