A dozen WB Group premieres in Kielce. Jet drone with a 30 kg warhead, a 30 mm turret for boats and StormRider 550

WB Group has brought more than a dozen premieres to the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, covering the air, land and maritime domains. The headline items are the jet-powered GLADIUS 2 strike system built around the WARMATE 30 effector, the WARMATE 8X loitering munition, the X-LiftAir launch method for FLYEYE, the STAR 8x8 Hyperion high-mobility truck, the ZMU-30 remote weapon station and the StormRider 550 unmanned surface vessel.

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10 september 2026   |   09:31   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. sierż. Wojciech Król/ MON

fot. sierż. Wojciech Król/ MON

MSPO is the most important event of the Polish defence sector and one of the largest exhibitions of its kind in Europe. This year's 34th edition runs from 8 to 11 September 2026. WB Group, the largest privately owned company in the Polish defence industry, is exhibiting in a large pavilion in hall 6, where visitors can see land, maritime and aerial unmanned systems, tactical communications equipment, battle management and artificial intelligence software, and solutions for protecting friendly forces and critical infrastructure.

The new products were presented on Premiere Day in the presence of Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence, Michał Baranowski, Deputy Minister of Development and Technology, and a range of guests from industry and the armed forces.

A jet-powered effector with a 30 kg warhead

The most significant premiere is the GLADIUS 2 strike system. Its effector, the WARMATE 30, carries interchangeable 30 kg warheads and has been designed as a flying wing with turbojet propulsion. GLADIUS 2 was ordered by the Polish Armed Forces in 2026 and is intended for precision strikes against high-value targets at long range.

The design features reduced radar and thermal signature. Turbojet propulsion allows the aircraft to reach its designated operating area very quickly, and it can be launched from a container or a ground launcher. WARMATE 30 is integrated with the GLADIUS system, so it operates as part of a complete reconnaissance, command and strike chain rather than as a standalone weapon.

The second strike system on show in Kielce is the WARMATE 8X. This loitering munition has a cruciform control surface layout that provides high manoeuvrability in the terminal phase of flight. It carries interchangeable 8 kg warheads and is designed for high-precision engagements at steep attack angles.

Six hours of engine time for FLYEYE

X-LiftAir is being shown for the first time. It is an alternative launch method for unmanned systems weighing up to 30 kg, demonstrated initially on FLYEYE. The aircraft is lifted to an appropriate altitude before beginning its mission, which reduces the drain on its batteries and extends endurance.

For FLYEYE, engine time increases from more than four hours to six. For operators, that means longer time on station over the observation area without any change to the airframe or its power system.

The STAR name returns to the Polish military

The STAR 8x8 Hyperion, a high-mobility, high-payload military truck, made its debut at MSPO 2026. The platform is based on proven technology and was developed through a strategic partnership between several Polish manufacturers. Bringing the STAR brand back into military service is intended to strengthen Poland's technological sovereignty and security.

The Hyperion 8x8 responds to a requirement of the Polish Armed Forces, and its development has given domestic industry new capacity to fulfil military orders flexibly and on schedule. The truck will be offered in several variants, including armoured and unarmoured cabs.

A 30 mm turret light enough for boats and robots

In the land domain, WB Group presented the new vehicles of the FTF manned-unmanned platoon, Antares and Sirius, together with small robotic platforms of the UGV family. Alongside them is the ZMU-30 remote weapon station. The unmanned turret can be fitted with a 30 mm cannon and, optionally, a 7.62 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher.

The module's low weight is the point of interest for maritime users. It allows the ZMU-30 to be integrated not only with light wheeled and tracked vehicles but also with vessels and autonomous containerised platforms. The station is equipped with electro-optical sensors, weapon stabilisation and automatic target tracking, and it can engage ground targets as well as low-flying aerial objects, including unmanned aircraft.

StormRider 550 joins the family

The StormRider 550 unmanned surface vessel is also making its Kielce debut. The new modular craft is 5.5 m long and belongs to the StormRider family that WB Group has been developing. It is smaller and shorter than the StormRider 850 presented a year ago.

The company is positioning the vessel for both military and civilian users, with particular emphasis on the protection of critical infrastructure. For ports, terminals and operators of coastal installations, it adds another Polish-built unmanned platform to the range of options for waterside security.

One environment from reconnaissance to strike

The solutions on display in Kielce reflect the steady development of WB Group's multi-domain unmanned systems environment. It combines reconnaissance, command, secure data exchange and strike, giving the user full control over the decision cycle.

The systems are built on the expertise of Polish engineers and on proprietary technologies developed by WB Group companies. This year's MSPO confirms that the company's portfolio now spans all three domains, with the maritime segment gaining new platforms.

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Kamil Kusier
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