On the first day of the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO 2026) in Kielce, Polish and Norwegian companies WB Group and Kongsberg signed a cooperation agreement. The aim is to develop technologies for unmanned maritime vehicles, both surface and underwater. The agreement is intended to pave the way for the development, integration and production of multi-purpose platforms designed for operations in the Baltic Sea and other maritime environments.

The cooperation will focus on integrating sensors, command-and-control systems and effectors within a single architecture. The agreement was signed by Piotr Wojciechowski, President of WB Group, and Ronny Opsjøn Langset, Kongsberg’s Executive Vice President for New Business Development, in the presence of Magdalena Sobkowiak, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence and Deputy Minister of Defence.

– Security requires genuine cooperation between states, armed forces and industry. By combining Polish and Norwegian expertise, technologies and production capabilities, we can jointly develop world-class solutions capable of operating both in the Baltic Sea and in other maritime environments – said Piotr Wojciechowski.

The agreement also provides for the possibility of equipping the systems under development with various types of effectors that could be used to engage maritime vessels. This would enable the platforms to perform not only reconnaissance and surveillance missions, but also strike roles. The cooperation between the two companies is intended to support the further development of advanced unmanned systems capable of meeting the growing demands of the modern battlefield.

WB Group is currently the largest and fastest-growing private company in Poland’s defence industry. The company produces a range of systems for the armed forces and security services, including communications systems for military vehicles and the Topaz combat management system. Its portfolio also includes the FlyEye reconnaissance drones and Warmate loitering munitions, which are among the systems used by Ukrainian forces defending against Russia. WB Group also supplies the Polish Armed Forces with Gladius reconnaissance and strike systems, combining both types of drones with the TOPAZ system and launchers specially adapted for deploying the UAVs.

This year’s MSPO 2026 features new communications solutions as well as unmanned systems covering all domains – air, maritime and land. Among them is the Stormrider 850 unmanned surface vessel. The craft is designed to operate in the challenging conditions of the Baltic Sea and has a range of approximately 500 km. It can also be armed or equipped with reconnaissance systems for maritime surveillance missions. A dedicated version of the platform has been developed for civilian applications. Equipped with appropriate sensors, it could be used, for example, to monitor key maritime areas, including critical infrastructure and military bases.

Photos: WB Group/press release