Poland to deploy €2bn anti-drone systems within two years

Poland expects to build a €2 billion anti-drone system within two years to ward off Russian attacks, moving ahead of broader EU plans to protect Eastern Europe’s airspace.  

The announcement comes as drone incursions into European airspace have intensified since September, prompting Warsaw to trigger NATO Article 4 consultations after it shot down what it described as “hostile objects” in its airspace.

“We expect to have the first capabilities of the system in roughly six months, perhaps even sooner. And the full system will take 24 months to complete,” Polish deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk said in an interview with British media The Guardian on Saturday.  

The Polish air defence systems would be integrated into a line of protection built 10 years ago, and include machine guns, cannons, missiles and drone-jamming equipment, the deputy minister added.  

Tomczyk also said the project would be financed through the European Commission’s €150 billion SAFE loans for defence procurement, as well as the national budget.  

The Commission is currently reviewing EU countries’ SAFE plans, and Poland is set to be the biggest recipient country, with a tentative allocation of €43.7 billion for the duration of the programme.

Tomczyk had already floated the idea of a Polish anti-drone system in November, saying the country would not wait for a broader EU initiative.  

This month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also said the country would co-lead, together with Finland, a coalition of eight countries closest to Russia to set up an ‘Eastern Flank Watch’ to strengthen protection of the region’s skies. 

The idea was originally pitched by the Commission in September, although details on its scope and cost have yet to be set out.

It is one of the Commission’s four large-scale ‘flagship’ defence projects to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.

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