Poland to launch national anti-drone defence ahead of EU’s “drone wall” initiative

Poland is preparing to begin construction of a national anti-drone defence system within the coming months—well before the European Union’s planned “drone wall” project—Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced.

Tomczyk said the Defence Ministry will unveil new investments this month focused on technologies designed to detect, jam, and neutralize hostile drones as part of a broader modernization of Poland’s air-defence network. While he did not disclose the overall value of the planned investments, he emphasized that Polish companies are expected to secure at least half of the contracts, Bloomberg reports.

The initiative follows a September incident in which NATO fighter jets intercepted around 20 drones that had crossed into Polish airspace during a large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine—the first such NATO response since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. The episode exposed vulnerabilities in Poland’s air-defence posture, as the military was forced to use costly missile interceptors against inexpensive unmanned aircraft.

“We agree with the idea of strengthening the defence of the skies over the entire European Union and are willing to consider external proposals or solutions,” Tomczyk said. “But we give priority to national projects.”

He added that while Poland supports the EU’s “drone wall” initiative, it will focus first on its domestic system.

“The EU’s drone wall can complement the Polish system in the future,” he said. “If there’re any external tools, we will use them to the fullest.”

The deputy minister noted that the government intends to use funds from the EU’s new SAFE defence loan program to help finance the national drone shield. Poland, which borders Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, received the largest initial SAFE allocation, giving it access to €43.7 billion ($50.8 billion) in potential financing.

The first operational capabilities of the new system are expected within three months of the investment announcements, with full deployment targeted within two years.

“A counter-drone weapon must be comprehensive,” Tomczyk explained. “It should consist of various sensors and effectors operating simultaneously, first detecting and identifying objects, and then neutralizing them.”

He added that the anti-drone program will serve as “another layer” of Poland’s existing air-defence network, complementing its long- and medium-range systems designed to counter aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles.

In July, the Defence Ministry announced it would spend 200 million zloty ($54.2 million) this year on the acquisition of combat and training drones, while also accelerating procurement processes for advanced unmanned systems.

“The way in which both Russians and Ukrainians are using unmanned weapon systems today shows that strengthening our capabilities in this area must be a priority in all spheres of activity: in the air, on land, and at sea,” Tomczyk said.

By Vafa Guliyeva