SAFE accelerates Polish defence modernisation as WB Group strengthens its position in Europe’s defence ecosystem

The first contracts financed under the European SAFE programme mark the beginning of a new phase in Poland’s defence transformation. Unmanned systems, cyber resilience and domestic industrial capabilities have become central pillars of Warsaw’s security strategy, with WB Group emerging as one of the key industrial and technological players shaping the country’s rapidly evolving defence landscape.

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29 may 2026 | 11:10 | Source: Gazeta Morska | Prepared by: Kamil Kusier | Print

fot. Krzysztof Gumul / WCEO

Poland has officially entered the operational phase of the European SAFE programme, launching the first procurement contracts financed under the Security Action for Europe framework.

The agreements signed on 28 May across Legionowo, Warsaw, Ożarów Mazowiecki and Gdańsk demonstrate that Warsaw is moving faster than most European partners in transforming EU defence funding into tangible military capabilities.

While the programme covers cybersecurity, logistics, naval assets and soldier modernisation, one area clearly stands out: unmanned systems and the growing role of Poland’s private defence technology sector.

At the centre of that transformation is WB Group.

WB Group strengthens its role in Europe’s drone ecosystem

Among the first SAFE-financed contracts are major agreements awarded to WB Electronics S.A., part of WB Group - Poland’s largest private defence technology company.

Under the newly signed contracts, the Polish Armed Forces are expected to acquire by 2030:

12 GLADIUS unmanned search-and-strike battery modules,
WARMATE loitering munition systems,
190 unmanned aerial system sets.

The significance of these acquisitions goes far beyond procurement numbers.

The war in Ukraine fundamentally reshaped military thinking across Europe. Unmanned systems have evolved from supplementary battlefield tools into core operational assets responsible for reconnaissance, target acquisition and precision strike missions.

The Polish Armed Forces are now adapting their force structure accordingly.

- These capabilities are becoming both a priority for the Polish military and a foundation of modern deterrence and defence systems, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated during the signing ceremony.

For WB Group, SAFE may become a strategic turning point.

The company has spent years developing autonomous systems, battlefield management software and secure communications technologies. However, EU-backed procurement now provides a much larger industrial scale and strengthens the company’s long-term export potential within the European defence market.

GLADIUS and WARMATE reflect Europe’s evolving battlefield doctrine

The GLADIUS programme represents one of Poland’s most ambitious unmanned combat ecosystem projects.

The system integrates reconnaissance drones, loitering munitions and command-and-control infrastructure into a unified operational architecture capable of supporting rapid strike operations.

Meanwhile, WARMATE has already become one of Poland’s most recognisable defence export products.

Operational experience gained in real conflict environments significantly increases the credibility of Polish unmanned systems on international markets.

For the maritime and offshore sectors, the development is particularly relevant.

As the Baltic Sea becomes increasingly strategic for NATO operations and European energy security, unmanned technologies are expected to play a larger role in:

offshore infrastructure monitoring,
port security,
maritime reconnaissance,
anti-sabotage operations,
protection of logistics corridors.

The growing convergence between defence, offshore security and autonomous technologies creates new opportunities not only for military suppliers, but also for maritime industrial ecosystems across Northern Europe.

SAFE also prioritises cybersecurity resilience

The first contracts were signed at the headquarters of Poland’s Cyber Defence Forces Component Command in Legionowo.

The programme includes:

next-generation post-quantum IP encryptors,
high-trust cryptographic systems,
secure cross-domain data exchange systems,
mobile cyber defence laboratories.

The emphasis on cyber capabilities reflects the reality of modern multidomain warfare.

Today’s drone systems, precision strike assets and naval platforms are fully dependent on secure communications and resilient data infrastructure.

Without cyber resilience, advanced military hardware loses much of its operational value.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted this strategic logic during the ceremony.

- We spend this money so that we do not have to spend it during war, Donald Tusk stated.

Naval dimension: Hydrograf programme supports Baltic security

The maritime component of SAFE is equally significant.

In Gdańsk, authorities signed a contract for two HYDROGRAF hydrographic vessels to be built by Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A.

The vessels will support:

geospatial data acquisition,
hydrographic and navigational support,
NATO interoperability,
allied operational support in domestic and international waters.

Following recent incidents involving subsea infrastructure sabotage in the Baltic region, maritime situational awareness has become a strategic priority.

Hydrographic and geospatial capabilities are increasingly essential for protecting:

subsea cables,
offshore wind farms,
LNG infrastructure,
energy corridors,
critical maritime assets.

Defence industry becomes a national industrial policy tool

One of the strongest messages emerging from the first SAFE contracts is the growing role of private industry in Poland’s defence modernisation strategy.

- The defence industry must become an engine of economic growth. Equality between state-owned and private industry has become absolutely crucial, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

This may signal a structural shift in the Polish defence ecosystem.

For years, large procurement programmes were dominated primarily by state-controlled industrial groups. SAFE appears to be accelerating a more diversified industrial model in which agile private technology firms gain increasing importance.

WB Group currently represents the clearest example of this transformation.

The company’s growing position illustrates how future European defence competitiveness may increasingly depend on:

rapid innovation cycles,
autonomous systems integration,
AI-enabled battlefield management,
secure communications,
scalable drone production.

Poland aims to become Europe’s eastern defence manufacturing hub

The SAFE programme also reflects broader geopolitical ambitions.

Warsaw openly seeks to position Poland as NATO and the EU’s primary defence production hub on the eastern flank.

The speed of implementation, the scale of procurement and the emphasis on domestic industrial capabilities indicate that Poland intends to leverage the current security environment into long-term industrial and strategic advantage.

For maritime industries and offshore stakeholders, SAFE could become a catalyst for:

dual-use technology development,
autonomous maritime systems,
cyber resilience investments,
industrial expansion across the Baltic region,
stronger integration into European defence supply chains.

SAFE is no longer simply a European financial mechanism.

It is increasingly becoming a framework for rebuilding Europe’s industrial defence capacity - with Poland and companies such as WB Group positioned at the forefront of that transformation.