Sweden bolsters Ukraine with purchase of Polish drones
Sweden has decided to purchase Polish drones for the Ukrainian armed forces. This decision is part of a military aid package that Sweden plans to provide to Ukraine, says Defence24, citing Sweden's Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson.
Minister Pål Jonson visited the Polish drone manufacturer, WB Group, and expressed appreciation for their innovative solutions. He emphasized that cooperation between Poland and Sweden in the defence sector will continue to develop. "We need to have a more balanced relationship in arms purchases between Poland and Sweden," Jonson said in an interview with "Rzeczpospolita."
So far, the Swedish government has allocated over $7 million (approximately 11 million Canadian dollars) for the drone coalition and demining operations. Meanwhile, the total value of the 18th military aid package for Ukraine is $1.22 billion (1.71 billion CAD). This is the largest aid package from Sweden since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
New technologies for Ukraine
Although it has not been disclosed which specific drone models will be purchased, it is known that the Ukrainian army already has experience using Polish drones Warmate and FlyEye. WB Group recently presented a new drone model, the Warmate 50, which can be used for long-distance missions.
Warmate 50 is the latest unmanned strike system developed by the Polish company WB Group, showcased at the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) 2024 in Kielce. Warmate 50 has been equipped with a warhead weighing about 50 kilograms, which is a significant enhancement compared to previous versions of this system.
Unlike its predecessors, the new model does not offer the capability to swap out the warhead, a deliberate decision aimed at maximizing combat effectiveness at the expense of observational flexibility. This means that Warmate 50 is dedicated solely to strike missions, eliminating the need for compromises associated with multi-task capabilities.
Powered by a combustion engine, Warmate 50 achieves an operational range of up to 1,000 kilometres. This distance allows it to target deep within potential enemy territory, making it a strategic tool in the military's arsenal. For example, from Polish territory, the drone could reach the Moscow metropolitan area.
