Budapest Based Defense Company Protects British Soldiers at the Front

Hungary Today 2023.09.15.

The British Ministry of Defense has decided to use equipment from a Hungarian defense company to protect its armed forces. The announcement may come as a surprise, even though Pro Patria has been a major player in the defense industry, reports Világgazdaság.

Pro Patria Electronics Ltd. has announced that it has subcontracted Elbit Systems UK to supply ground surveillance radars to the UK Ministry of Defense. The order is for 90 PGSR-3i Beagle portable ground surveillance radars, with a further 40 units as optional items. The radars are scheduled for delivery next year.

The importance of the deal is reflected in the coverage it has received by the European Security & Defense (ESD) portal, a major news source in the continent’s defense industry. They wrote that

the UK Ministry of Defense’s acquisition is intended to better support the detection of potential front-line threats to the British armed forces.

The Hungarian Pro Patria Electronics’ proprietary radars were found to be the most suitable for this task.

Elbit Systems UK has spoken to ESD, pointing out that the PGSR-3i Beagle has a number of advantages: it is easily portable and can use digital signal processing to detect and track targets moving on or near the ground.

Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK, said that his company has a thorough understanding of the threat environment in which soldiers operate. “By now offering a portable solution for medium and short-range target detection, we are able to help the UK Ministry of Defense to use the best available technology to protect those serving on the front line,” he emphasized.

28 lutego Agencja Uzbrojenia zamówiła od Pro Patria Electronics Kft. kolejnych 18 radarów rozpoznania pola walki PGSR-3i #Beagle wraz z pakietami szkoleniowym i logistycznym za kwotę ok. 13 mln zł brutto. Radary zostaną dostarczone jeszcze w tym roku. pic.twitter.com/IC9cnuIm6M

— Krzysztof Płatek (@krzysztof_atek) March 1, 2023

It may seem surprising, but this is not Pro Patria’s only foreign order. At the beginning of March, Christopher Platek, a spokesman for the Polish armaments agency, announced on Twitter that a contract worth 13 million zlotys (EUR 2.8 million) had been signed with Pro Patria Electronics Ltd. at the end of February. The Polish Armed Forces ordered 18 PGSR-3i Beagle MK II surface reconnaissance radars from the Hungarian company, together with training and logistics packages.

Fact

Privately owned Pro Patria has a history of more than 20 years. It is a wholly Hungarian company, employing around 50 people at its headquarters in Budapest. Most of the equipment is exported and sold to several countries around the world. The company’s products are present in Austria, Ireland, and on the southern border of Hungary, but they also have a strong presence in Romania and Bulgaria. Markets in Africa are also growing, as are those in Asia. They even have important orders from post-Soviet countries. They could enter the Indochina region as well in the near future.

PGSR-3i Beagle radar. Photo via propatria-inc.com

Pro Patria’s radars are easy to learn to use, and any language and map can be applied to the customer’s needs through its proprietary interface. It can be used to designate danger zones, and when entered, the operator is automatically alerted. The PGSR-3i Beagle ordered by the UK is a portable surface surveillance radar. Weighing only around 50 kilograms, it can be easily carried by two operators in two backpacks.

It can be set up and ready for use within five minutes. It is a battlefield-proven radar system for monitoring ground targets and optionally, artillery fire.

Moreover, it operates at a frequency that is effective even in extreme weather conditions.

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Via Világgazdaság, Featured image via Wikipedia