Poland receives first Gladius UAS battery
Each Gladius battery consists of nine UAVs. (Photo: WB Group)
The Polish-designed and manufactured system comprises two WB Group platforms, the FT-5 UAV, which will be used in an ISR capability and the BSP-U, an unknown platform with visual similarities to the Warmate 2.
The Polish Armed Forces has received the first elements of the Gladius reconnaissance and attack UAS just 19 months after the contract was signed with WB Group and a year after initial systems were delivered to support training and faster introduction into service.
The PLN2 billion (US$508.6 million) contract for the delivery of four Gladius battery modules of unmanned search and strike systems, along with a training and logistics package, was signed on 6 May 2022.
On 15 December 2022 the first elements of the Gladius system were delivered to the Polish Armed Forces including two UAV launchers and two Gladius training UAVs.
The system has been built around the FT-5 UAV and each battery has included four UAV BSP-U attack UAVs, five FT-5 reconnaissance UAVs, five launchers, two command vehicles and three ammunition carriers. The vehicle supporting the batteries will be the Waran 4x4 vehicle.
Under the contract the logistics package included the supply of maintenance kits and maintenance services for UAV and the training package, in addition to the training of the soldiers, including training UAVs and system simulators.
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