A Polish anti-drone system based on directed energy technology was halted in 2020 by a single deputy minister’s decision, according to the director of the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR). Prof. Jerzy Małachowski stated that had the program continued, Poland would not need to deploy fighter jets to shoot down drones today.
Speaking during the European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice in 2026, Małachowski recalled the night of September 9-10, 2025, when approximately 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace during a mass attack on Ukraine. Polish and allied aircraft, including Dutch-operated F-35s, were scrambled to intercept them.
– Today, nobody in Poland would be flying American jets to destroy incoming drones if not for the decision made in 2020 – said the director. He explained that the program covered both jamming systems and directed energy using electromagnetic waves, which could cause a drone to „fall like a fly” when entering the field.
The political decision that cost six years
– The program was killed by the decision of one deputy minister – Małachowski said. – We had developed laser technology to shoot down drones. Six years were wasted. We haven’t held those people accountable for the fact that today we have to shoot at drones with expensive ammunition – he added.
According to the professor, the technology was already at an advanced stage and could have significantly reduced the need to use multi-role fighter jets for drone interception. The September 2025 incident exposed the vulnerability of Polish airspace, forcing Poland to rely on scarce and costly F-35 flight hours.
Current NCBR efforts in drone defense
Despite the setback, the NCBR is currently running 35 programs related to drone and anti-drone technologies. In 2026, the centre plans to spend over PLN 1.5 billion on defense, security, and dual-use technologies.
Małachowski stressed that Polish industry still has the capacity to develop effective counter-drone systems, but the lost years cannot be recovered. – We should ask ourselves where those decision-makers are and whether they should face consequences – he concluded.
The director’s remarks come amid growing awareness of the drone threat, particularly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where cheap UAVs have proven devastating against air defense systems. Poland has since accelerated investments in electronic warfare and laser systems, but experts argue that the 2020 decision set back Poland’s indigenous capabilities by several years.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PTWP
