Grand Polish Military Dronization Contract Becomes a Reality

The agreement, signed by the president of WB Group Piotr Wojciechowski and the deputy head of the Armament Agency, Col. Piotr Paluch, covers approximately one thousand systems and around 10,000 loitering munitions. Although it is currently only a framework agreement, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz, who was present at the signing, announced that further implementation contracts will be signed in the near future. He also emphasized that this is the result of the activities of the Military Drone Inspectorate (Unmanned Weapon Systems), just five months after its formation. „A major contract for the drone‑ization of the Polish army is becoming a fact,” stated the minister.

The Minister of National Defence also addressed European defence funds. He stated that PLN 26 billion from the National Recovery Plan could be redirected to security issues, and also PLN 120, possibly even 128 billion, from another programme (presumably Re‑Arm Europe). He noted that cooperation with EU institutions is necessary to develop appropriate solutions for participation in these programmes. Recently, in a strategic dialogue with the European Commission, the WB Group president Piotr Wojciechowski—also present at the signing—took part.

President Wojciechowski, for his part, confirmed that WB Group’s unmanned systems are successfully used wherever it is „hot,” and that experience with this weapon confirms that the future belongs to unmanned systems. They will be deployed everywhere, from individual soldiers to the operational level. He also referred to multi‑domain operations—cooperation between land, sea, and air drones. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Mirosław Bodnar, head of the Unmanned Weapon Systems Inspectorate, recalled that a demonstration of the capabilities of 40 Polish companies in the field of unmanned systems was recently held. He thanked everyone for signing this agreement, emphasizing that further tenders and contracts lie ahead, including micro‑systems that will be available to virtually all soldiers. He also pointed to the potential of civilian drone operators, of which there are 300,000.

Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Bejda, in turn, recalled that the Ministry of National Defence is striving to increase arms exports, and during one of his visits to the Republic of Korea—where Poland is making large arms purchases—he managed to secure a contract for the purchase of WB drones by Seoul. He also confirmed that the Warmate system has performed its tasks „perfectly.” In the context of the development of the Polish defence industry and the expectation for partners to purchase in Poland, the deputy minister also referred to the Orka submarine programme, which will be implemented in an intergovernmental format, allowing it to have a broader scope, „so that the framework of this agreement is wider.”

The Warmate loitering munition is characterized by its lightweight construction and ability to perform various types of missions. It has been successfully used in combat in Ukraine, has been operationally deployed by Turkey and India, and is also used in several other countries.

Its advantages include a silent propulsion system, swarm‑capable operation, readiness for launch in under five minutes, and interchangeable warheads. The Warmate family continues to be developed, with variants featuring an anti‑armour shaped‑charge warhead or tube‑launched (Warmate TL), as well as the reconnaissance Warmate‑R. Standard range (including ground communication systems) is 30 km, although it can be extended under suitable conditions. Flight time is 60 minutes, launch mass 5.3 kg, operational speed 80 km/h, and maximum attack mode speed 150 km/h.