Poland Orders SAN Anti-Drone System Based on Anti-Aircraft Artillery, APKWS, and UAV Interceptors

The Polish Armament Agency has signed a contract with the national consortium PGZ and the Norwegian company Kongsberg for the SAN anti-drone system.

This was reported by Defence24.

The weapons will consist of 35 mm and 30 mm cannons, 12.7 mm WLKM heavy machine guns, 70 mm APKWS laser-guided missiles, and interceptor UAVs.

The system will consist of 18 batteries, which will include 18 command platoons and 52 fire platoons.

The key subcontractor under the contract will be the Polish company Advanced Protection Systems (APS). The company will supply optoelectronic sensors, various electronic sensors (including FIELDctrl Ultra and Follow radars), electronic warfare equipment, as well as software and a control system that integrates San, including the SanView command post, present in each fire platoon.

🛡️ To już oficjalnie: @PGZ_pl liderem konsorcjum TARCZY ANTYDRONOWEJ! 🛡️

Umowy na dostawę przeciwlotniczych zestawów #SAN zostały podpisane. Będą one chroniły wschodnią granicę RP przed bezzałogowymi systemami powietrznymi.

🔷 Przedmiotem umowy jest 18 modułów bateryjnych… pic.twitter.com/mkUD0yGGFz

— Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa🇵🇱 (@PGZ_pl) January 30, 2026

The system will include 703 vehicles, with approximately 400 Jelcz-based vehicles and 300 Igwana-based vehicles.

The contract is valued at approximately PLN 15 billion (about $4.2 billion), with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2026 and be completed in January 2028.

Main components of the SAN system

SA-35 anti-aircraft artillery system

The SA-35 self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery system is based on a 35 mm automatic cannon capable of firing programmable shells.

The high mobility of the system, including off-road, is ensured by the chassis of a Polish JELCZ 6×6 truck with an armored cab. Not only the gun turret itself, but also its stabilization system was integrated into the chassis.

To detect and track air targets, the SA-35 is equipped with a modern ZGS-35 optical-electronic station. In the future, it will be able to use the latest Polish X-band TUGA radar. It will perform early detection and target acquisition tasks.

PROTECTOR family turrets

The PROTECTOR family of combat modules from Kongsberg includes three variants of remotely controlled turrets (RT): RT20, RT40, and RT60. The module is based on the Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm cannon.

12.7 mm WLKM multi-barrel machine gun

Developed by the Polish company Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów, the 12.7 mm WLKM machine gun is mounted as part of a remotely controlled anti-aircraft system with radar and an optoelectronic station.

The WLKM is equipped with a block of four 900 mm long barrels and is capable of firing up to 3,600 rounds per minute, allowing it to create a dense stream of 12.7 mm bullets at a distance of up to 2,200 meters.

The design itself remains quite light and compact: it weighs 50 kg with a total length of 130 centimeters. The barrels are rotated by electric drives instead of powder gas energy.

You can read more about the 70-mm APKWS laser-guided missile and the history of its creation in the article “Hydra 70 multi-platform missile,” and there are several options for interceptor drones, for example, in the fall of 2025, Poland received MEROPS.