Speaking on Thursday at the launch of a new Hornet drone production line in the central town of Sochaczew, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said the domestically developed unmanned aircraft was designed to meet the demands of modern warfare.
The Hornet Polskie Drony company, established last year by the Warsaw-based Air Force Institute of Technology and the Boryszew industrial group, will manufacture unmanned aerial weapon systems, state news agency PAP reported.
Speaking alongside Deputy Defense Minister Stanisław Wziątek, Tomczyk said projects such as the Hornet production line represent the future of Poland's defense industry.
"We need our own strike-capable drones," he said, describing the Hornet system as a direct response to the realities of today's battlefield.
Tomczyk said rapid, large-scale drone production marks a new phase in strengthening Poland's military capabilities.
According to Tomczyk, Poland will spend PLN 26 billion (around EUR 6 billion, USD 7 billion) on drones and counter-drone systems this year, up from PLN 100 million in December 2023.
He added that 10 military units in Poland already operate drone laboratories, with another 20 due to receive them in the coming months to provide soldiers with training and development facilities.
Tomczyk said every Polish soldier should be able to operate drone systems, adding that each military squad would eventually be equipped with reconnaissance drones as technological innovation increasingly determines success on the battlefield.
According to the manufacturer, the Hornet drone is 2.6 meters long with a wingspan of 2.2 meters. It weighs 85 kilograms, has a top speed of more than 200 kph and an operational range of up to 1,200 kilometers.