Poland expands military drone companies and readies stealth Gladius 2 system

As part of a broad modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces, new "drone companies" have been created within land‑force battalions. Pilot tests are under way in the 1st Motorised Infantry Battalion of the 17th Greater Poland Mechanised Brigade, with certification planned for November and full integration expected across all mechanised and motorised battalions. General Piotr Fajkowski, Inspector of the Land Forces, said "without drone and anti‑drone actions the modern battlefield is incomplete," highlighting the shift toward remote reconnaissance and strike capabilities.

At the same time, the defence industry is preparing to launch Gladius 2, a stealth combat UAV with a range of several hundred kilometres and a payload of 5‑10 kg. The system, described by Remigiusz Wilk as "a breakthrough in the development of unmanned systems," combines FT5‑Łoś reconnaissance drones, Gladius strike drones, launch vehicles and command‑control units mounted on light armoured 4×4s. An agreement worth 9.3 billion PLN under the SAFE programme covers delivery of additional battery modules and the Gladius 2 variant, with a public debut slated for the September 2026 International Defence Industry Salon in Kielce.