Poland boosts defense spending and launches laser procurement to counter drones

Poland’s defence budget has surged, reaching over 80 billion zloty last year and supporting roughly 500 contracts worth about 700 billion zloty. Much of the acceleration is driven by EU SAFE programme funds, enabling fast‑track purchases such as Krab howitzers, Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles and PAC‑2 GEM‑T missiles for Patriot systems. Critics note that about 20 % of contracts were concluded under the expedited “Urgent Operational Need” procedure, raising concerns about planning and transparency.

In parallel, the Polish army has launched a market consultation for high‑energy laser systems to neutralise drones and other low‑altitude threats. Twenty firms—including Kongsberg, Rheinmetall, RTX, Hanwha, Rafael, MBDA, AeroVironment, and Turkish companies Tubitak Bilgem and Roketsan—have responded. Two variants are being studied: one with a minimum 1 km range and another with at least 3 km. The request covers up to 150 units for deployment on wheeled, tracked, container‑based and naval platforms, aiming to create a short‑range C‑RAM capability against UAVs, artillery shells and rockets.