Eastern Europe has become the arena for an arms race in unmanned technologies, with Poland and Romania vying for leadership positions. Poland, seeking to bolster its defense capabilities, is actively developing its Drone Forces – a newly established military branch formally created earlier this year. In parallel, the country’s Ministry of National Defense has signed the largest drone procurement agreement in its history. On May 15, the Ministry of National Defense finalized a framework deal with WB Group, a Polish private defense technology company, for the supply of approximately 10,000 Warmate loitering munitions. Under the contract, deliveries will continue through 2035. This move underscores Warsaw’s ambition to build a formidable fleet of strike drones. Beyond loitering munitions, the Drone Forces will also be equipped with larger reconnaissance-strike UAVs. In December 2024, Poland signed a $310 million agreement to acquire an unspecified number of MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones manufactured by U.S.-based General Atomics. These advanced UAVs, capable of enhanced surveillance and reconnaissance, are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.
Romania, too, is demonstrating keen interest in developing domestic production and acquiring unmanned systems. Romanian Minister of Economy Bogdan Ivan recently visited the facilities of local manufacturers Carfil SA and IAR Ghimbav, both specializing in UAV development and production. During the visit, Bucharest announced its intention to utilize EU defense funds allocated to member states for drone procurement to equip the Romanian military. Officials emphasized that scaling up domestic UAV production would not only strengthen national defense but also enable Romanian manufacturers to export their products to international markets. In this way, Romania aims to establish a self-sufficient ecosystem for the development and production of unmanned systems.