Following the signing of Poland’s agreement with the European Commission under the SAFE programme, negotiations are now underway on specific contracts for the defence industry. Once completed, the process is expected to accelerate planned investments in defence capabilities. One of these projects is the creation of SAN, a multi-layered counter-drone system whose components — including tactical communications systems and anti-aircraft guns — will be supplied by PIT-RADWAR.
For the company, which is part of the Polish Armaments Group, the programme means a sharp increase in production within a very short period.
Contracts for the development of the SAN counter-drone system were signed in January this year between the Armament Agency and a consortium formed by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. The system is part of the Eastern Shield project and an important addition to Poland’s multi-layered, integrated air and missile defence system. This system includes the Wisła programme for medium-range air and missile defence, the Narew short-range air defence system and Pilica, which covers the very short-range layer.
“Wisła, Narew and Pilica are programmes implemented by the Polish defence industry that give us very good coverage and defence capabilities in certain segments, but the lowest layer was missing. The SAN programme is intended to fill that gap,” Adam Zawada, Member of the Management Board of PIT-RADWAR, told Newseria.
“Experience from the front in Ukraine and the Middle East shows that without such devices and a system protecting the lowest layer, we remain exposed to cheap, mass-produced strike systems, against which it is impossible to defend using methods known so far. We need to promote and present our solution, because in my opinion it is currently the best counter-drone system in the world,” he added.
PIT-RADWAR, which merged in January with Military Communications Works No. 2 in Czernica, will supply, among other things, tactical communications systems designed to connect all elements of the counter-drone system. The company will also provide radars and sensors for detecting threats, as well as effectors for neutralising targets.
“We are continuously delivering tactical communications systems for the military under various programmes, including Narew and Pilica. The SAN programme, under which we will equip all sensors and effectors with a tactical communications system, represents an enormous, truly remarkable leap for our plant in Czernica. This means increasing production not by 100, 200 or 300 percent, but by more than 1,000 percent in a very short time,” Zawada said.
The system will consist of 18 batteries of counter-drone systems, 52 fire platoons, 18 command platoons and 703 vehicles. A single battery module will include three fire platoons and one command platoon. Each module will be capable of independently detecting, tracking and identifying aerial targets, as well as engaging them.
The government has stated that the first elements of the SAN system are expected to be delivered to the Polish Armed Forces as early as 2026. Funding for the project will come mainly from the EU’s SAFE programme.
The system is intended to protect Poland’s eastern and northern borders by enabling comprehensive detection, identification and neutralisation of unmanned aerial systems.
“SAN complements the already existing layers of defence. It is based on a very extensive multi-sensor architecture, which allows us to visualise even extremely small and fast-moving aircraft. This facilitates detection and the selection of the appropriate effector to destroy the object,” explained Zawada.
“Both in terms of sensors and effectors designed to eliminate potential threats, we are very well prepared. The range of effectors is impressive. We have, among others, the SA-35 gun with programmable ammunition produced by PIT-RADWAR, as well as the ‘Tarnów monster’, APKWS missiles, which are a very important element — a low-cost but highly effective rocket. We also have something that is very popular today, namely Merops counter-drone drones, which have proven themselves in the conflict in Ukraine,” he added.
The system will expand Poland’s capabilities not only in the physical destruction of drones, but also in their jamming.
“It is extremely important that we first secure the Polish Armed Forces. In the first phase, we need to focus on delivering this system as quickly as possible. We are talking about an 18-month project timeline, so this is an exceptionally ambitious and dynamic project. After those 18 months, we will be able to carry out export projects,” Zawada said.
PIT-RADWAR, a company within the Polish Armaments Group, is one of the suppliers of professional electronics equipment for the Polish Armed Forces. It conducts research and development in radar technology, radio-electronic reconnaissance systems, command automation and support systems, as well as related weapons systems, including air defence solutions.
In January 2026, the company finalised the acquisition of Military Communications Works No. 2 from Czernica. WZŁ-2 provides services including the design, production, repair and modernisation of communications equipment, as well as mechanical and electronic systems.
According to Zawada, the SAFE programme also opens up opportunities to strengthen counter-drone protection capabilities in other countries in the region.
“It would be good if we were also able to secure part of the European Union’s borders — for example from the side of Slovakia, Romania or the Baltic states — with our equipment. This would create a very good, complementary lowest-layer defence system in our geographical area. But we also see what is happening in the Middle East. They do not have such solutions and are interested in them. We know they are asking about production capacity. Hopefully, we will be present there,” Zawada said.
“Today, SAN has been defined by the Polish user. It is natural that each user defines the system somewhat according to their own needs, drawing on their experience and market capabilities. Therefore, if we work with foreign partners, we are open to dialogue,” he added.
