Polish Ministry of National Defence announces interceptor drone trials

The Inspectorate of Unmanned Weapons Systems has opened applications for trials of unmanned aerial platforms designed to counter airborne targets.

On Friday, July 17, 2026, the Ministry of National Defence announced that the Inspectorate of Unmanned Weapons Systems (IWBSU), part of the General Command of the Polish Armed Forces, had opened applications for trials of unmanned aerial platforms designed to counter airborne targets.

Interceptor, or “fighter,” drone developed by Polish company APS (Advanced Protection Systems) / File photo: APS

The sought-after aerial platform is intended to engage airborne targets, particularly hostile unmanned aerial vehicles used for reconnaissance and surveillance, as well as UAV-based aerial attack systems.

Completed applications must be submitted by July 31, 2026, to iwbsu@ron.mil.pl.

The manufacturer or supplier of the technical solution must:

Hold a license authorizing the manufacture of and trade in military-purpose products, or their trade;
The manufacturer or supplier submit:
- A declaration confirming that the technical solution has reached Technology Readiness Level 9, in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of August 28, 2020, concerning tasks of the National Centre for Research and Development related to scientific research or development work for national defense and security;
- declaration that all examples of the technical solution submitted for testing will be made available free of charge, and that free instruction, training, and operational and maintenance support will be provided;
- waiver of any claims arising from the destruction of or damage to the technical solution during testing;
- declare that the technical solution submitted for testing under Decision No. 123/MON of the Minister of National Defence, dated September 12, 2025, does not infringe copyright or any other third-party rights, and undertake to indemnify against any third-party claims resulting from such infringement; provide a detailed list of the technologies used, together with information on how they were obtained—for example, through in-house development, licensing, purchase, or technology transfer—demonstrating that no third-party rights have been infringed.

Expected technical parameters and functions:

The aerial platform should meet the following critical requirements:
- Guidance method: autonomous, “fire-and-forget”;
- Interception method: kinetic engagement, preferably using a warhead;
- a guidance subsystem capable of engaging targets by day and night;
- a subsystem allowing the mission to be aborted and the platform to land automatically if the target is lost;
- flight range: at least 1,500 m;
- target detection range: at least 200 m;
- platform speed: at least 150 km/h;
- the ability to operate in winds of up to 12 m/s;
- maximum launch procedure time: no more than 12 seconds;
- at least an IP53 ingress-protection rating for both the platform and controller;
- minimum operating temperature range: −10°C to +40°C;
maximum takeoff weight: 2 kg;
suitability for use as an individual or crew-served weapon;
contractors must have a finished product with certified proximity-fuzed warheads available when submitting their offers;
the transport packaging must be durable and robust, providing protection against damage and moisture during transportation and storage;
transport cases must be made of ABS, fitted with moisture seals and closures, and include eyelets for security seals;
the packaging should resemble a transport case with carrying handles. Permitted subdued colors include black, gray, green, olive, and sand. Bright, attention-grabbing colors, such as fluorescent orange or yellow, are prohibited;
user-level text in the platform’s IT systems must be available in Polish or English. Polish-language software will be viewed favorably during evaluation;
the technical solution should be manufactured in accordance with ISO 9001 or AQAP requirements;
the platform must be manufactured in an EU or NATO country;
the platform must operate within radio-frequency bands available to the Polish Armed Forces. Suppliers holding the relevant licenses, industrial security clearances, and authorization to access information classified as “RESTRICTED” or “NATO RESTRICTED” will be provided with the applicable frequency ranges;
the supplier must include a training and logistics package.

Software licenses and patents

The software used in the systems described above must be developed by the manufacturer. Where third-party software is used, the manufacturer must hold appropriate agreements governing the transfer or licensing of copyrights relating to the software, operating system, programming libraries, drivers, scripts, and other elements of the complete system. These agreements must address licensing issues, including permission for further copying and redistribution of the software.
The manufacturer or supplier of the software must consent to its use in systems intended for serial and commercial sale, as well as in systems intended for military applications, and such use must comply with the applicable software license.

Documentation

The manufacturer or supplier must provide documentation for the equipment, including a Polish-language operating manual in PDF format on electronic media. The manufacturer must consent to the documentation being copied for the contracting authority’s internal purposes and uploaded to military information and communications systems.
A shortened printed version of the Polish-language manual must also be supplied with each item of equipment.

Materials

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Polish Ministry of National Defence announces interceptor drone trials

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