SPECIAL SESSION #04

Adam Kawalec

Military University of Technology (Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace)

• adam.kawalec@wat.edu.pl

Witold Bużantowicz

Military University of Technology (Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace)

• witold.buzantowicz@wat.edu.pl

The session focuses on the technical aspects of developing and implementing innovative solutions in the field of air and missile defense, with particular emphasis on the challenges related to detecting, identifying, and neutralizing drones and other modern aerial threats. The topics cover sensor technologies, early warning systems, countermeasures, as well as issues related to the integration of various defense systems in the context of contemporary security challenges.

This session explores cutting-edge advancements in modern defense technologies and countermeasure systems designed to address contemporary aerial threats. Emphasizing innovative approaches, the session covers the development, integration, and deployment of sensor systems, early warning platforms, and active and passive countermeasure devices aimed at neutralizing drones and emerging aerial hazards. Topics include advanced radar and sensor design, signal processing, target detection and classification algorithms, multi-sensor data fusion, and integrated network-centric defense solutions. Contributions are encouraged to showcase novel research, practical implementations, and strategic approaches to enhancing air and missile defense capabilities in complex security environments.

Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• radar sensors design and platform developments;
• antenna design, modeling, and measurements;
• active and passive devices;
• radar target tracking and signal processing;
• radar signal recognition and classification algorithms;
• radar missile seekers;
• missile guidance and radio control systems;
• couter-UAV systems and solutions;
• multi-sensor data fusion and processing in network-centric air defense.

Prof. Adam Kawalec received the M.Sc. degree in solid state electronics and the Ph.D. from Faculty of Technical Physics and D.Sc. degrees in electronics, acoustoelectronics from Faculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology (MUT), Warsaw, Poland in 1974, 1980, 2002, respectively. Professor title he received from the President of Poland in 2010. In 1974, he joined the Military University of Technology, Faculty of Technical Physics, Warsaw, Poland, where he was involved in surface acoustics waves (SAW) convolvers research. Since 1979 he has tested SAW dispersive delay lines applied in radar pulse compression systems and SAW sensors and its signal processing aspects. In these studies a number of valuable results was obtained, in particular with the range of dispersion of broadband lines using the higher harmonics. In the years 1974-2002 he held the position of teaching and the organization of senior engineer to assistant professor and head of the laboratory of the Institute of Technical Physics to the head of the Department of Planning and Coordination of Research, the Military University of Technology. In the years 2002-2012 Professor Kawalec held the position Director of the Institute of Radiolocation, Faculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology. He organized the Center for Technology Transfer (CTT) in Military University of Technology, and in 2013-2014 he was the director of the Center. He is currently the Full Professor at the Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace, Institute of Missile Technology and Mechatronics, Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland, where he still leads research projects and teaches courses in electronics and signals processing, theory of vibration, field and electromagnetic waves and quantum mechanics. During his 50 years of scientific and research activities, he was a leader many important research projects for radar technology, which are still being implemented. His work has concentrated on radiolocation techniques and in particular on signal and data processing. He also devoted a significant part of his research to algorithms for recognizing and classifying radiolocation objects, also using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. He is the author and co-author of more than 300 scientific papers published in international and national journals and conference proceedings and co-inventor of five patents. He has acted as a reviewer for many well-known scientific journals . He has won many awards for his scientific and implementation activities. Recently in 2024, together with the research team, he received the award from the Ministry of National Defense Republic of Poland for significant achievements in the field of implementation activities. Prof. Kawalec is the member of the Committee on Electronics and Telecommunication, Polish Academy of Sciences and many scientific committees of major conferences related to radiolocation systems. He is senior member of IEEE organization as well.

Witold Bużantowicz is a graduate of the Military University of Technology and the Polish Air Force Academy. In 2009, he began his professional service in the 78th Air Defense Regiment as a platoon leader. He took part in several rotations of US Army PATRIOT batteries in Poland. Beginning from 2011, after being transferred to the Military University of Technology, he served on many positions, from engineer to assistant professor. In 2024, he was appointed Director of the Institute of Missile Technology and Mechatronics (Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace, Military University of Technology). He is an Expert of the Polish Academy of Science (Space Launch Systems Section), IEEE Member and Polish Rocketry Society Member. Raytheon scholarship recipient (2015) and an author of over 40 books, scientific articles and international conference papers. For very good results in the implementation of official duties, he was awarded the „Aviation Cross of Merit”, the Gold Medal „For Merits to National Defense” and the Silver Medal „Armed Forces in the Service of the Homeland.”