Kathrine Frich
Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has reshaped not only Europe’s security landscape, but also the future of modern warfare.
Ukraine, forced to innovate under constant pressure, has become a testing ground for drone and missile technologies that few countries possess, and even fewer fully understand.
Now, Poland appears to be exploring whether those hard-won capabilities could be shared.
MiG-29s nearing retirement
According to defence analysis published in Poland, Warsaw is considering exchanging its ageing MiG-29 fighter jets for access to Ukrainian expertise in drones and missile systems.
Poland’s MiG-29s, inherited from the Soviet era, are approaching the end of their service life as the country modernises its air force.
While no longer central to Poland’s own defence plans, the aircraft could still be valuable to Ukraine.
For Kyiv, the jets would help replenish an air force strained by years of fighting and serve as a source of increasingly scarce spare parts needed to keep similar aircraft operational.
Ukraine’s drone advantage
Ukraine has emerged as a global leader in drone warfare, particularly in the mass production of low-cost systems built from commercially available components.
These drones are not only cheap, but highly effective.
Some counter-drone platforms used to intercept Russian Shahed attacks reportedly cost as little as $1,600 far less than comparable Western systems.
Equally important is Ukraine’s software advantage. Years of combat have allowed Ukrainian engineers to rapidly improve targeting, guidance and coordination, often developing solutions in weeks rather than years.
The guarded “kill chain”
At the heart of Ukraine’s drone success lies what experts call the “kill chain”.
That is the combination of data, algorithms and operational methods that turn hardware into a lethal system.
This includes artificial intelligence modules that allow drones to autonomously identify and strike targets in the final phase of flight.
Ukrainian units are already deploying AI-enabled FPV drones, using real battlefield data to train systems that Western militaries have yet to field at scale.
Access to this knowledge, rather than just the hardware itself, is what Polish defence companies are reportedly interested in.
Missile technology reserved for the few
Beyond drones, Ukraine has also developed advanced missile capabilities that place it among a small group of technologically sophisticated states.
These include guided rockets such as the Wilcha-M1, with a range of up to 150 kilometres, and the Wilcha-M2, capable of reaching around 200 kilometres.
Ukraine has also worked on ballistic missile systems such as Grom, designed to deliver heavy warheads over distances of up to 500 kilometres.
Ballistic missiles, travelling at extreme speeds, are notoriously difficult to intercept and require expensive air-defence systems such as Patriot batteries.
Why Poland is interested
Poland currently relies on foreign suppliers, including the United States and South Korea, for long-range artillery systems.
Ukrainian technology could offer Warsaw insight into developing comparable capabilities domestically, particularly in propulsion, guidance and battlefield integration.
Such cooperation would not necessarily involve direct technology transfers, but could significantly shorten development timelines for Polish defence firms.
Sources: Original analysis by Przemysław Juraszek. WP.
