Innovations in industrial potential defense in Poland 1990–2016

Abstract

The companies producing the military equipment and the weapons are generally classified as the most modern and most innovative companies in the world. Quite often used in these enterprises innovative organizational and technical solutions, in particular new technology, are later adapted for the production not related to the defense. The article is an attempt to assess the level of innovation of the Polish defense industry. The first chapter discusses the level of innovation in the defense industries in other countries, particularly the United States. In the second, there is a comparison between the level of national innovation industry to other countries. Additionally, the main constraints to the development of innovation were mentioned and the author identifies prerequisites that must be achieved to improve the situation in Poland. The main conclusion – despite the major difficulties in the last 25 years, many Polish companies have not lost the ability in product development. However, the basic elements which should occur to ameliorate the situation in terms of innovation are: higher specialization of industry, the continuity of orders for equipment and armament Polish Ministry of National Defence, promotion at government level, Polish production on foreign markets supported by financing instruments for the recipients, funding of research programs with a realistic chance of implementation to production, purchase and export by the Ministry of Defence. The article was written based on interviews conducted in the years 2013–2015 with Chief Executive Officers of defense industry companies in Poland and the experts in this subject as well as other published and unpublished materials.