A major funding round could reshape Poland’s military innovation landscape. Officials say the programme will fast track technologies from labs to front line use.
In Poland, agreements have been signed to fund innovative defense developments under the PERUN program. Specifically, 753 million zlotys will be allocated for the implementation of 29 defense projects (over 200 million USD).
The signing took place during a ceremony at the Museum of the Polish Army in Warsaw, with the participation of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) of Poland signed 14 new co-financing agreements for projects selected under PERUN. The program is funded by the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.
According to Tusk, PERUN is “a powerful impulse of ideas, funding, and technology” that gives the army access to the latest developments by Poland’s scientists and companies.
What we are witnessing today on the front of the American-Iranian confrontation, but primarily on the Russian-Ukrainian front, clearly shows: future conflicts will be won by those who have more ideas, better technologies, and more resources. For us, the most important thing is that it is precisely such capabilities that will deter those who seek to harm us
– Donald Tusk
In addition, Tusk stressed that Poland is building a modern security strategy in close cooperation with the so-called Northern Bloc – the Baltic states, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, which share a common view of threats to the east and are ready to jointly strengthen the security of the Baltic region.
According to the head of government, the overall funding for PERUN will soon approach one billion zlotys, enabling the deployment of the most advanced technological solutions for the needs of the Polish army.
Among the funding directions are development in the fields of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, anti-drone technologies, protective measures, safeguarding critical infrastructure, battlefield medicine, and detection systems for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
Key directions of PERUN and the expected impact
Collectively, the agreements aim to boost the country’s defense capabilities by integrating the latest technologies into the requirements of the modern army and by fostering collaboration between scientific institutions and industrial partners.
All of these steps should be matched by strengthening Poland’s defense capabilities and boosting cooperation between science and industry, which will enable faster translation of developments into ready-to-use solutions for the army.