Advanced Protection Systems (APS): Strategic-Technological Analysis
Advanced Protection Systems S.A. (APS) is a Polish high-tech defense company specializing in advanced anti-drone solutions. Founded in 2015 by radar experts Dr. Maciej Klemm and Dr. Radosław Piesiewicz[1], APS has rapidly grown into a key provider of counter-UAV systems. Its flagship products, the FIELDctrl 3D-MIMO FMCW radar and the SKYctrl C-UAS suite, combine proprietary radar, acoustic, optical, RF sensors and AI-based classification software to detect and neutralize low-altitude drone threats[2][3]. APS emphasizes full vertical integration: “FIELDctrl radars and SKYctrl systems are entirely proprietary, developed in-house”[2], with every component manufactured in Poland under an ITAR-free design philosophy[2]. This autonomy has enabled APS to deploy its systems with Polish and NATO forces (including the 2020 DEFENDER-Europe exercise[3]) and export to allies: Gulf countries (Saudi, Qatar, UAE) use FIELDctrl, while Lithuania and Estonia have procured SKYctrl units for critical infrastructure protection[4][5]. In sum, APS represents a mature European deep-tech scale-up with proven battlefield pedigree. This report examines APS’s strategic and technological profile in the context of EU/NATO priorities, exploring its contributions to European defense autonomy, deterrence, and interoperable multi-domain defense.