Money that a scroll when buying weapons and all kinds of equipment for the army, are enormous. Also in Poland. Here are a few examples: the purchase of multi-role helicopters we spend approx. 13 billion zł – the amount served previous stewards of the Ministry of National Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniakiem at the helm. On defense program Polish sky – the so-called. missile shield by 2022. is more than 26 billion zł. Two contracts signed in December – already by the new management of the Ministry of Minister Antoni Macierewicz – provide 2.5 billion zł for the modernization of Leopard tanks and one billion zlotys for the purchase of antiaircraft Poprad. By comparison, less than half a billion cost to restore trams in Olsztyn – construction of railways, reconstruction of roads and bus lanes, the construction depot and the purchase of trams.
It is not surprising that every time the armaments contract does not mince the measures that the Ministry of Defence decided what to purchase, “this unique and best” equipment. Because although very often the weapon purchased in the tender, it does not deceive ourselves – there always wins the one who has to win. So the one who decides on the currently ruling political option. Although of course everything is done according to the rules of law are important even so. tactical and technical assumptions. These determine the officials and military mid-level, on which you can work.
Of course, at some stage those officials meet with the producers, but the information to them (and politicians) come in a degree by the media, which willy-nilly exert various pressures. A reinforcing concerns perfectly able to use. What is worth noting, arms industry almost always work hand in hand with the home government. First, the parent government is almost always the largest purchaser of a company. Secondly, the number of former military people and services in these companies in some sense naturally approaching their point of view to that of present colleagues are still in service. Thirdly, the sale of arms to governments excellent tool to pressure and influence. It can help to cement alliances or the foundations of prejudice.
Journalists like pawns on a chessboard
intricate game in the media begins even long before you actually It will start the procedure for the purchase of this or other weapons. Often the company that wants to sell something, whether a company that handles the communication or creates a communication strategy – trying to predict people at a given purchase have something to say. Picks those who are in some way more or less influence on the final decision. Officials by influential politicians the journalists. Of course, this list is changing, and the whole process can not write out in detail for years. However, some things are possible. One such example of “sowing to the” or enter a subject for wider circulation media, was, for example. Last year’s presentation of the F-35 in Poland.
The biggest concern armaments of the world, the American Lockheed Martin ( the value of sales last year to 46.1 billion US dollars) this is now a key project. But for now, the troops get the first copies of this weapon. In August, they held in Warsaw, so a presentation on the subject. Journalists could also fly a simulator that arcynowoczesnego aircraft. In the media, you can read about it. It is worth noting that so far in Poland to talk about the new aircraft are practically not even started. With favorable winds choose them for 6-8 years. Despite this big does not usually fall asleep pears in the ashes. Although sometimes they happen a little oversleep. An example of even company Bell , a manufacturer of helicopters AH-1Z Viper, which is now desperately trying to exist in the Polish media (his competitors in this matter are very active for at least one year, and the matter has to settle for the end of 2016.).
This, as can be used in such a game journalists, perfectly illustrated by the proceedings multi-purpose helicopters. In this tender it was beating, but rather fights three producers. French Airbus, which proposed Caracal helicopter, Sikorsky (now Lockheed Martin blackhawkami) and the Italian Finmeccanica AW 149. A year ago, then fought for a second term President Bronislaw Komorowski announced that the test will be chosen caracal, and to him will be further talks. On the other hand, in late September in the pages of DGP Antoni Macierewicz, the opposition politician, now defense minister, clearly he declared that Caracale not agree. Today in this matter is still pending talks offset the Ministry of Development. It is difficult to predict how it will all end.
In August, I got the following letter from the Embassy of France. I turn to you with a proposal to participate in a study trip to France for journalists specializing in military issues. Expected number of participants from the Polish 4-5 people from different editors. The official part of the trip is planned on 16-20 November. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development RF cover the cost of round trip airfare (Warsaw – Paris, Paris – Warsaw) and overnight at the hotel of up to 66 euros per night. Available to journalists from Monday to Friday will be Polish-French translator and a car with a driver . And as far as to this point it is difficult to have any objection to this proposal (as it happens in this business, that information is obtained often for such trips, but for some journalists already be unacceptable), then my doubts raised a fragment of the following: Journalists wishing to stay longer in Paris will be able to fly on Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 November or stay the weekend 21-22 November. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development covers the costs of up to 8 Nights . This seems to go beyond accepted, even in zbrojeniówce, standards. Because in this case, journalists are simply invited to vacation in Paris.
Such study visits are usually very intense. A lot of meetings and all sorts of lectures given manufacturer. Hotels, food, and alcohol is at the expense of the organizer. Free time is usually a few hours and then the organizers occasionally invite eg. To visit a local tourist attraction.
The official part of the visit proposed by French was going to be extremely interesting: long meetings with representatives of the French Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a visit to the shipyard DCNS, factories Airbus, Thales in the company and other companies reinforcement. The invitation sent to journalists for three of the most influential newspapers in Poland and the popular industry portal (usually directs them primarily to professional journalists who write in specialist journals). Trip planned for November but was canceled. The case attracted, but in the end took place in early February. I just did not go (although I’ve been to other such trips, which in a moment).
It should be noted that the new date coincides with the peak of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, where the Polish delegation spoke probably also a potential choice of the helicopter. And so, two days before the summit, in an article describing the strained relations between Paris – Warsaw could read that additional Polish-French relations there are attempts to undermine the current Polish administration tender Caracal helicopter, which is in Paris, treated with indignation. Our interlocutors on several occasions repeated that the tender for military equipment led to sharp clashes with competitors, but it never happened, to offer that met all the requirements, has been attacked by government contracting .
the problem is that the text presented only the French point of view – representatives of the Polish Defense Ministry had no voice. Quite another matter is that when it comes to auctions armaments unexpected twists and turns quite regularly. If the well-known journalist who has some idea of zbrojeniówce, writes these things for two days before a meeting of ministers of national defense, it is hard to resist the impression that someone had just used. The more that none of the Polish helicopters multitasking was not unequivocal favorite, who had a clear competitive advantage.
In each such trip is entered that producers and often representatives of the administration of the country insistently repeated how great is their product. However, the question of proportion.
Sam I take from time to time participating in such trips. I, for example, in 2014. In the United States for the presentation of the American Helicopter S-97 Raider produced by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation . Before leaving, I signed the document, which gave me complete independence in creating the text. In the same material treated also about the achievements of competition among French Airbus and the Italian company Finmeccanica. A few months later, I flew to France to interview with the CEO of Airbus, Tom Enders. Airbus paid for the trip. This does not change the fact that the conversation took place in accordance with art. Just as conversation with competitors, Krzysztof Krystowskim with PZL Swidnik – Finmeccanica. We wanted our readers honestly present the offer to the Polish army.
Not cutting out half of the picture
In March last year, the company Sikorsky signed a cooperation agreement with Military Zaklady Lotnicze in Lodz. It was one of the requirements that bidders set the Inspectorate of Armament, which is the entity that is responsible for a large proportion of purchases at the Defence Ministry. On this occasion a press conference. The next day, in a serious newspaper we read that “the tycoon helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft promises to create in the Lodz regional service center and modernization of its Black Hawk helicopters.” Unfortunately, there is no word about the fact that such competition agreement signed much earlier and probably promised as much. Text posted an experienced journalist. The assumption that he did not know about it, it seems naive. More likely is the influence of the big players reinforcement. This is usually done so that first appears in one way or another text in a newspaper, a week, two or three later published the advertisement purchased by interested – tells the man working in PR for defense companies.
Another example of how the arms industry puts pressure on the media. Report to the DGP company that wanted to, we held a debate in a particular subject area. Editorial delegates me to prepare questions and proposals callers. Then we send it to a potential customer. The Company proposes, however, the ejection of two issues (such as why the contract costs as much, how much it costs). In addition, he wants to turn one of the callers, who know that the theme of his teeth and is quite straightforward, a senior master general, who simply often take part in discussions. Wszelakich. For participation in the project thanked. Competition organizes a whole series of debates reinforcement. So that the media operates, the debate need partners – sponsors, who pay for them. Maybe someone admit it can deny – but they have influence on the topics. Especially in the debates about guns.
It seems that while a weak position are mainstream journalists, not better, and sometimes probably even worse, you have a media specialist. There advertiser is practically only the arms industry. So some content have very little chance of it, to be there to show. Being recently organized tour by the company Raytheon (the manufacturer sets of Patriot), I asked the organizer why among more than a dozen invited journalists and representatives of think tanks is not one of the big industry portal. They never write about us objectively. Encourage competition – was the answer. Of course you can argue with that. But if people from the core of the industry assume that someone is far from objectivity, that apparently have reason to believe that such cases happen. He says another person with the defense industry, which cooperates with the media. Media are weak and will become weaker. And arms industry has the money. As the editors is not lawful to what is proposed, the solution is one: advertising flowing to the competition – says our interlocutor.
At the time of this writing, over the past two weeks, I received two proposals for the two-day trips related to the arms industry. One refused; I thought not exalt him much. I asked the organizers of the second contact after the publication of this text.
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