Unmanned platforms have become an integral part of the modern battlefield. The Polish Armed Forces are also participating in this technological revolution and expanding their capabilities.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a special military operation in Ukraine on the morning of February 24, 2022, both he and his generals expected a quick victory of Russian forces. Kremlin propagandists dismissed the possibility of Ukrainian resistance, which was reflected in memes suggesting that the operation would begin after breakfast, Kyiv would be captured after lunch, and a victory parade would take place on Khreshchatyk that same evening.

Hardly anyone expected at the time that an operation calculated to last three days would still be in full swing four and a half years later. However, absolutely no one could have predicted back then that after such a long period, Ukraine would not only continue to defend itself, but also launch serious strikes against Russian targets far beyond the front lines. That is roughly the scale of the changes that have taken place in less than half a decade.

It is not only the situation on the front lines that has changed over the course of dozens of months of war in Ukraine, but also the methods of warfare. Various types of unmanned platforms have become a symbol of this conflict, revolutionizing the mindset of all soldiers, from staff officers to privates. To a greater or lesser extent, this revolution has also spread to other countries around the world.

The front line in the Russian-Ukrainian war stretches over 1,000 km. However, changes along this line are slow and minimal. Soldiers on both sides are sitting in trenches. They are separated by mined space scarred by shells, where conducting any operations is extremely difficult, as the terrain is closely monitored from the air by drones. Their operators can provide necessary coordinates to artillery units or attack the enemy themselves. However, the war is by no means confined to the front lines. Both sides are using long-range drones to strike targets located hundreds or even thousands of kilometers beyond the zone of daily combat. It is also thanks to unmanned vehicles, both aerial and maritime, that the Ukrainians have finally managed to significantly neutralize Russian superiority at sea.

Drones in Action

The deployment of drones in military operations is nothing new – armies have been utilizing them for several decades. In recent years, though, their use has increased significantly. Americans, for example, used armed MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones to strike targets in Afghanistan, Somalia, or Iraq. It was an important part of a broad-scale war on terrorism. Perhaps the most high-profile incident involving drones was the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was responsible for organizing and supporting Shiite militias. The general was killed in January 2020 following a drone strike at the Baghdad airport. UAVs also played a major role in the victory of the Azerbaijani army over Armenian separatist forces in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.

The Ukraine-Russia war, however, has taken the use of drones to unprecedented levels. Unmanned platforms have come to be used universally and on a massive scale at all levels of the armed forces – not only at the strategic and operational, but also at the tactical level. With a view to acquiring and utilizing drones as effectively as possible, the armies on both sides have created special units. In June 2024, the Ukrainians established their own Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) – a separate branch of the armed forces, largely decentralized and open to collaboration with various types of startups. By minimizing bureaucratic procedures, the units are able to quickly test and acquire entirely new solutions, responding to changing conditions on the front lines. Decisions regarding the procurement and testing of new solutions are often made already at the battalion level. “Ukrainian officers explained to me that after the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022, drones were often purchased by associations and other public organizations, and then donated to units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This helped to deliver equipment to the front much faster than through standard procurement procedures,” explains Col Tadeusz Zieliński, PhD, Vice-Rector for Research at the War Studies University (ASzWoj). The Ukrainian Armed Forces have since systematized this process while retaining the core idea: procurement should be simple and fast.

The Russians have opted for a more centralized approach, establishing the Unmanned Systems Forces of Russia, which currently number over 100,000 soldiers and rely on mass production by the state-owned defense industry. Russian specialists have also developed a strictly defined model for their use, known as the Drone Line. It specifies exactly under what circumstances individual subunits should employ specific reconnaissance and strike capabilities.
The effectiveness of both approaches is being continuously evaluated on the battlefield.

Multiplied Capabilities

Currently, the most significant changes resulting from the widespread use of unmanned systems are visible at the tactical level. “The key concept here is the so-called »battlefield transparency,« which does not, however, imply full knowledge about the enemy. Instead, as a result of the widespread use of drones and other sensors, the enemy’s movements, troop concentrations and preparations can be detected much faster than before,” emphasizes Col Tadeusz Zieliński. The increased ability to observe the battlefield is forcing a change in how troops operate. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to perform the traditional concentration of larger forces. Smaller, dispersed, and more mobile subunits, frequent changes in position, and camouflage are all becoming increasingly important. This does not mean moving away from concentration of military effort, but rather changing its form. Forces may remain dispersed, while the effects of their actions are concentrated at a selected location and time,” explains the expert. He immediately adds, however, that any views that downplay the role of armored and mechanized forces, artillery, or aviation are incorrect. “Integrating these forces with unmanned systems can significantly increase their effectiveness: conducting reconnaissance, transmitting target data more quickly, correcting fire accuracy, and improving the precision and rate of strikes.”

Marian Łopatka, PhD, Professor at the Military University of Technology (WAT) and Director of the Institute of Robotics and Machine Design, agrees: “Along with technological advances, unmanned platforms will be able to carry out an increasing number of dangerous and demanding missions and tasks,” points out the expert. “They minimize exposure and risk to military personnel,” he explains. “They also multiply soldiers’ capabilities, especially during dispersed operations. Furthermore, they relieve personnel of tedious tasks that often require a high level of concentration.”

It is obvious, however, that machines cannot fight on their own, and that unmanned systems will not replace other components of the armed forces. “This is most clearly evident at the operational and strategic levels,” argues Col Tadeusz Zieliński. To put it bluntly, drones alone cannot capture or hold a specific territory. Ground forces are still necessary to do that. “They must be organized, equipped, and trained to operate under constant surveillance and threat from enemy unmanned systems. UAVs are therefore an important element of an integrated combat system, but not its self-sufficient substitute,” emphasizes Col Zieliński.

This is where all kinds of anti-drone systems come into play – from radars and rapid-fire cannons to electronic warfare equipment, increasingly deployed by armies. At the same time, experts are doing everything they can to deprive the potential or actual enemy of this advantage as well. For example, fiber optic drones are immune to jamming, but they inevitably have a shorter operational range.

The war in Ukraine has not written off the role of traditional weapons systems, but it has certainly opened the door to a completely new reality. Countries observing this conflict from the sidelines – especially neighboring ones, such as Poland – cannot remain indifferent to this fact.

Tests and Recommendations

The Polish Armed Forces are undergoing a drone revolution. “There will be no safe Poland without an army of drones […]. In all domains, in all units, every soldier in the Polish Armed Forces will have contact with drones,” stated Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in the spring of 2025. Changes are already underway, and simple numbers attest to their scale. “In 2023, we spent 100 million zlotys on unmanned systems in the Polish military. In 2026, we will spend a total of 25 billion zlotys on drones and anti-drone systems,” emphasized Deputy Minister of National Defense Cezary Tomczyk in July.

The Polish Armed Forces utilize several dozen types of drones, ranging from small FPVs to sizable Bayraktars. The latter are stationed at the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base in Mirosławiec, which has been in operation for a decade. We have reconnaissance and combat drones operating in the air, at sea, and underwater. The process of acquiring technologically advanced unmanned ground vehicles, as well as anti-drone systems, is ongoing. At the same time, following Ukraine’s example, Poland has established the Inspectorate for Unmanned Weapon Systems (IWBSU) within the General Command of the Polish Armed Forces.

Step by step, the army is creating a comprehensive and coherent system designed to cover everything from drone testing and procurement to soldier training, as well as operation of unmanned aerial vehicles within subunit structures and, consequently, their use on the battlefield. The Inspectorate is intended to serve as a kind catalyst which will support and accelerate the process.

“We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” admits BrigGen Witold Bartoszek, who has headed the IWBSU since early October. He adds that one of the fundamental challenges is simplifying the procedures related to acquiring equipment and its subsequent use. This applies especially to simple reconnaissance and strike drones. He remarks that unit commanders must be given more autonomy. “The point is to allow them, to a certain extent, to build up and replenish their resources independently. To adapt them to their own needs, naturally with our support,” emphasizes BrigGen Witold Bartoszek. In short: regulations and doctrines should be flexible enough not to stifle the creativity of soldiers.

It is also important to shorten the supply chain while expanding the pool of suppliers. “Given that the private sector for unmanned systems technology – including many startups – is developing rapidly in our country, it would be a mistake not to take into account Polish technological innovations in the areas of deep tech, artificial intelligence, and multi-domain process management,” says the General. At the same time, the military must develop its own capabilities related to the construction of unmanned vehicles. Soldiers from selected units are already learning to assemble simple drones using 3D technology. Military academies are establishing their own laboratories. “However, we need to synchronize, develop, and expand these efforts,” emphasizes Gen Bartoszek.

It is not just a matter of filling gaps after suffering losses on the front lines, but also of rapidly changing technology. This is especially true for small-scale systems, which are evolving at a remarkable pace. In this context, Decision No. 123 issued by the Ministry of National Defense may prove critical. In short, it works as follows: the military formulates a requirement, announces it, and then companies submit their proposals. The Inspectorate appoints a team that conducts a preliminary evaluation of the individual offers, prepares the testing methodology, and designates the unit that will carry out the tests. Once they are complete, the team prepares a report and sends a recommendation to the minister, who then decides whether to initiate an accelerated procurement procedure. In 2025, the Inspectorate managed to conduct one test of a small unmanned system for training purposes, which resulted in a purchase. Several other reports have already been produced this year. Under the Inspectorate’s supervision, tests have been conducted on unmanned ground systems, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems, and small FPV drones. Three complete recommendations were submitted to the minister.

A separate issue is finding a place for drone forces within the structure of the Polish army. One idea being tested in two mechanized brigades is the new organizational concept of the Model 44 Battalion. It envisages replacing one of the four combat companies with a company of unmanned weapon systems.

Experts agree that the widespread implementation of drones will have a fundamental impact on the way the army operates. Thanks to unmanned systems, for example, even a small unit can conduct reconnaissance and strike operations beyond the line of sight. All of this alters the so-called contact points. In other words, it pushes the opposing sides further apart – to a distance of a dozen or even several dozen kilometers. Moreover, the capability to carry out deep strikes behind enemy lines will also likely continue to grow.

A Revolution Is Underway

Another equally important issue is personnel preparation and training – not only of individual soldiers, but also of entire subunits. The goal is to gain knowledge about the capabilities offered by unmanned technologies, as well as methods of defense and protection against them.

The importance of proper preparation is demonstrated by examples from exercises and simulations conducted in field conditions. A meaningful one was Exercise Combined Resolve held in the spring, during which battle-hardened Ukrainian drone operators easily detected and then simulated the destruction of an entire US armored brigade from the 1st Cavalry Division. The combat scenario was repeated several times, and each time the Americans suffered heavy losses, even though they had their own unmanned systems and specialized equipment to counter enemy drones.

Training and gaining experience are essential elements of implementing unmanned systems, but they are not all. The introduction of UAVs is, in fact, a process that requires constant changes in a wide range of areas. Marian Łopatka, PhD, explains: “It requires, for instance, the modification of military tactics: they should evolve together with the emergence of new technological capabilities. Unmanned systems are developing very rapidly, and virtually every month brings new ideas and solutions.” Examples include new, faster drones using jet propulsion or hacking drones. An appropriate response is also required, for example, to the so-called saturation tactic used on the front lines of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which involves overwhelming the enemy’s air defense with a large number of targets. The expert also notes that information exchange systems, command and control systems, and combat formation organization systems are all essential elements of the comprehensive use of unmanned platforms.

Experts point to yet another aspect – even for small-scale platforms, we need a solid logistical infrastructure. Someone has to deliver the drone to the battlefield, someone else has to check the weather conditions, other specialists are responsible for its technical support: servicing and maintenance. When building a drone fleet, all this must be taken into account. As pointed out by Marian Łopatka, yet another important task is to adapt the existing legal framework to new challenges, so that it regulates the use of unmanned systems without hindering their development. Legal issues are particularly important, for example, when it comes to unmanned technologies that use artificial intelligence to autonomously decide whether to destroy a target. In Ukraine, such systems are already being used to detect and destroy Russian attack drones. “Unmanned systems are meant to be support systems; key decisions should be made by humans,” concludes the expert.

Sword and Shield

The East Shield initiative is a fitting example of what an integrated defense system utilizing unmanned platforms might look like. The role of unmanned systems in the program is rather broad. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, spoke about this during an August review marking the program’s two-year anniversary: “On the one hand, there are the Kuna unmanned ground vehicles, capable of engaging targets with various types of weapons, such as machine guns, but also used for transport and evacuation. There is also the Baobab mine-laying vehicle, also purchased through the SAFE program, and the Gladius system – all of these are Polish products.”

Reconnaissance and surveillance drones also remain a critical element. They operate in an integrated manner with a network of ground-based sensors, and the data they collect is transmitted directly to border security management systems (such as the PSIM – Physical Security Information Management – platforms, which integrate data from hundreds of distributed sensors into a single, coherent picture of the operational situation). Moreover, the Eastern Sword initiative, which will be implemented as part of the East Shield, was launched in August 2026. It emphasizes the need to develop long-range precision strike capabilities at distances exceeding 1,000 km. The initiative will also incorporate long-range drones.

For the Polish Armed Forces, the widespread use of unmanned systems marks a new era, since this technology is revolutionizing the modern battlefield. The challenge lies not only in effectively procuring new equipment according to demand and responding quickly to new trends and concepts, but also in ensuring that military personnel are properly prepared for their new tasks. The tide of change has already begun, which is a good thing, because today it is no longer possible to conduct effective operations without unmanned systems.