WARSAW, Poland \u2014 As Poland\u2019s military is developing the Drone Force, its latest military component that was launched earlier this year, the Ministry of National Defence recently signed a deal to purchase the largest number of unmanned aerial vehicles in the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
The move comes as various Eastern European allies are advancing major drone purchases, drawing lessons from Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
On May 15, the Polish ministry signed a framework agreement with local private defense company WB Group to buy some 10,000 units of the Warmate loitering munition. The contract foresees deliveries until 2035. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a large-scale investment \u2013 10,000 Warmate drones are becoming a fact,\u201d W\u0142adys\u0142aw Kosiniak Kamysz, Poland\u2019s deputy prime minister and defense minister, said at the official signing ceremony, as quoted in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will soon start being delivered to the Polish military. The next deals, which will be executive, will be signed in the near future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
WB Group has been expanding its portfolio of UAVs over the past years. Some of the latest additions to the company\u2019s range include the Warmate TL-R reconnaissance system, FT5 mini tactical class drones in new variants, Warmate 20 loitering munition, and the extended-range Warmate 50. Warmate 20 has a range of \u201cseveral hundred kilometers\u201d and Warmate 50\u2019s range exceeds that of Warmate 20, according to the company.<\/p>\n
Remigiusz Wilk, the head of communications at WB Group, told Defense News that, since the war\u2019s outbreak, the drone producer has observed a surge in interest in unmanned capabilities across the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrones are now considered an important protective measure for soldiers,\u201d Wilk said. \u201cWhen combined, they allow to create complex aerial systems.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the fighting between Ukraine against Russian invaders, sections of the front line have almost become devoid of human soldiers, with drones patrolling large swathes of land, ready to pounce on anything that moves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more we push soldiers away from the battlefield and replace them with drones, the safer they are,\u201d Wilk said. \u201cDrones have the potential to protect many lives, and the military appreciates this now more than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Polish Armed Forces are showing an growing interest in buying new UAVs to develop their Drone Force, but WB Group is also using the company\u2019s expanding manufacturing capabilities to unlock additional markets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWB Group is currently building new facilities to produce more drones,\u201d the spokesman said, listing countries in Europe and Asia, including South Korea and Malaysia, as clients. \u201cWe have supplied drones to Ukraine\u2019s military since 2015, so we are in an optimal position to draw lessons from the conflict and continue to enhance our unmanned systems to respond to the evolving battlefield requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n