WB Group: European Leader in Tactical UAVs, Loitering Munitions, and Secure Military Communications
WB Group is a quietly transformative force in European defense technology. This privately-owned Polish company has grown from a niche electronics venture in the late 1990s into one of Europe’s largest independent defense contractors. Its battlefield innovations – from tactical drones and loitering munitions to secure communications networks – have proven their value in conflict. Ukrainian forces are operating WB Group’s Warmate loitering drones in combat, validating a home-grown European alternative to imported “kamikaze” UAVs. Meanwhile, the Group’s encrypted communications systems have been adopted by NATO allies; even the United States military has licensed WB’s vehicle networking technology for its own use. Headquartered near Warsaw and active across dozens of countries, WB Group exemplifies the emerging wave of Eastern European defense innovators. It combines high-tech entrepreneurial agility with strategic relevance, supplying Europe’s armed forces with indigenous capabilities that strengthen NATO interoperability and reduce reliance on non-allied suppliers. This report explores how WB Group’s technologies and partnerships are enhancing Europe’s strategic autonomy, reinforcing deterrence on the Eastern flank, and setting new standards for sovereign defense innovation.