MSPO 2025: Poland’s new PLargonia dual-use drone combines training realism with effective strike capability
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Poland revealed the PLargonia unmanned aerial vehicle at the 33rd International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, identifying it as both a training system and a potential loitering munition. The platform was designed by the Air Force Institute of Technology and is structured around a delta-wing configuration with a combustion engine driving a rear-mounted pusher propeller. Two distinct versions were presented: the AT variant, developed as an aerial target drone to simulate loitering munitions in training environments, and the OWA variant, designed to carry a strike warhead.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The PLargonia’s dimensions and construction were deliberately chosen to mirror the Shahed-like drones widely deployed in current conflicts, reflecting both a training function and an operational role in line with global use of such systems. (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The PLargonia measures 2.0 meters in length, with a wingspan of 2.8 meters, a height of 0.5 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 50 kilograms. The aircraft is powered by a 28 cm³ two-stroke engine producing 3.5 horsepower, equivalent to about 2.5 kilowatts. Its cruising speed is 155 kilometers per hour, with a maximum range of 50 kilometers and an altitude ceiling of 500 meters. In its OWA configuration, PLargonia can be equipped with a warhead weighing between 16 and 20 kilograms, while in its AT version, it replicates the appearance and performance of loitering munitions for air-defense training. The design includes the ability to launch from ground-based platforms without the need for conventional airfield infrastructure, increasing deployment flexibility. Additionally, the PLargonia name resembles to “Pelargonium”, the genus of flowering plants that includes the geranium, which can be translated into Russian as…Geran, the name used by the Russian copy of the Shahed drone.
Loitering munitions, often referred to as kamikaze drones or one-way attack drones, combine surveillance and strike capability within a single expendable system. They are built to patrol or “loiter” in a designated area until a target is identified and then dive to destroy it using an integrated warhead. The concept allows military units to perform reconnaissance, confirm targets, and carry out strikes without separate sensors or shooters, reducing response times against mobile or time-sensitive threats. They are valued because they can deliver precision strikes without the need for a crewed aircraft, thus removing pilot risk while retaining the ability to hit targets deep in contested or defended areas.
The operational use of these systems spans multiple theaters, with roles that include destroying artillery, air defense equipment, and logistics nodes, as well as targeting infrastructure. Because of their relatively low unit cost compared to missiles and aircraft, loitering munitions can be deployed in large numbers and force adversaries to use high-value surface-to-air missiles and interceptors against them. This alters the economic balance of engagements, as low-cost drones can impose disproportionate expenditure on defense systems. Their impact is not limited to material damage, as the constant threat of drones overhead has also altered tactics on the ground, compelling dispersal of forces, rapid movement, and extensive use of camouflage and decoys.
The proliferation of loitering munitions in recent conflicts has accelerated defensive innovation and doctrinal adjustments. Systems are now designed to resist electronic warfare through frequency-hopping, inertial navigation backups, or homing features that allow them to strike jammers directly. Countermeasures range from jamming and spoofing to short-range air defense systems, including guns, missiles, and lasers, as well as deception through false signatures or decoy equipment. Training tools like the PLargonia AT variant reflect these needs, providing air-defense operators with drones that replicate the size, speed, and behavior of real loitering munitions, preparing them to engage effectively under realistic conditions. This places Poland’s project in the broader context of adapting to the widespread appearance of loitering weapons.
The Shahed-136, produced in Iran and widely used by Russia under the designation Geran-2, has become one of the most recognizable examples of loitering munitions. Its design features a delta wing and a piston engine and allows for a warhead of about 30 to 50 kilograms with ranges estimated between 900 and 2,500 kilometers, depending on variant and configuration. It has been used extensively in Ukraine for strikes on infrastructure and rear-area targets, often deployed in large numbers to overwhelm defenses. Russian domestic production in Tatarstan has supported sustained operations, making it a reference point for the effectiveness of low-cost, long-range drones in modern warfare.
The Shahed-136 has become a model for other developers because of its balance of range, payload, and production simplicity. Its construction allows for relatively low-cost manufacture using available components, enabling states with limited industrial bases to replicate or adapt the concept. The effectiveness demonstrated in Ukraine has underscored the utility of a design that can be mass-produced and deployed in waves. This has led to a trend in which multiple countries and companies design drones with similar characteristics, drawing on the Shahed as a template to accelerate development and reduce technical risk. The approach focuses on affordability, scale, and adequate payload rather than advanced materials or high-end electronics.
Examples of drones modeled after the Shahed design continue to appear internationally. Russia’s Geran-2 is the most prominent, produced domestically under license and deployed extensively. China has developed systems such as the DFX-50 and Sunflower-200 that replicate the delta-wing structure and strike function, while Ukraine has introduced designs like the Batyar and Bobr as indigenous long-range drones to respond to Russian use. In the United States, the LUCAS drone, presented in 2025, represents a functional analogue with modular payloads for both reconnaissance and strike. Turkey, Israel, and several European states have also produced loitering munitions with design cues from the Shahed concept. In this wider environment, the PLargonia’s pairing of AT and OWA configurations situates Poland to train against Shahed-class threats while retaining an option to field a compact strike payload under the same aerodynamic and propulsion architecture.
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Poland revealed the PLargonia unmanned aerial vehicle at the 33rd International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, identifying it as both a training system and a potential loitering munition. The platform was designed by the Air Force Institute of Technology and is structured around a delta-wing configuration with a combustion engine driving a rear-mounted pusher propeller. Two distinct versions were presented: the AT variant, developed as an aerial target drone to simulate loitering munitions in training environments, and the OWA variant, designed to carry a strike warhead.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The PLargonia’s dimensions and construction were deliberately chosen to mirror the Shahed-like drones widely deployed in current conflicts, reflecting both a training function and an operational role in line with global use of such systems. (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The PLargonia measures 2.0 meters in length, with a wingspan of 2.8 meters, a height of 0.5 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 50 kilograms. The aircraft is powered by a 28 cm³ two-stroke engine producing 3.5 horsepower, equivalent to about 2.5 kilowatts. Its cruising speed is 155 kilometers per hour, with a maximum range of 50 kilometers and an altitude ceiling of 500 meters. In its OWA configuration, PLargonia can be equipped with a warhead weighing between 16 and 20 kilograms, while in its AT version, it replicates the appearance and performance of loitering munitions for air-defense training. The design includes the ability to launch from ground-based platforms without the need for conventional airfield infrastructure, increasing deployment flexibility. Additionally, the PLargonia name resembles to “Pelargonium”, the genus of flowering plants that includes the geranium, which can be translated into Russian as…Geran, the name used by the Russian copy of the Shahed drone.
Loitering munitions, often referred to as kamikaze drones or one-way attack drones, combine surveillance and strike capability within a single expendable system. They are built to patrol or “loiter” in a designated area until a target is identified and then dive to destroy it using an integrated warhead. The concept allows military units to perform reconnaissance, confirm targets, and carry out strikes without separate sensors or shooters, reducing response times against mobile or time-sensitive threats. They are valued because they can deliver precision strikes without the need for a crewed aircraft, thus removing pilot risk while retaining the ability to hit targets deep in contested or defended areas.
The operational use of these systems spans multiple theaters, with roles that include destroying artillery, air defense equipment, and logistics nodes, as well as targeting infrastructure. Because of their relatively low unit cost compared to missiles and aircraft, loitering munitions can be deployed in large numbers and force adversaries to use high-value surface-to-air missiles and interceptors against them. This alters the economic balance of engagements, as low-cost drones can impose disproportionate expenditure on defense systems. Their impact is not limited to material damage, as the constant threat of drones overhead has also altered tactics on the ground, compelling dispersal of forces, rapid movement, and extensive use of camouflage and decoys.
The proliferation of loitering munitions in recent conflicts has accelerated defensive innovation and doctrinal adjustments. Systems are now designed to resist electronic warfare through frequency-hopping, inertial navigation backups, or homing features that allow them to strike jammers directly. Countermeasures range from jamming and spoofing to short-range air defense systems, including guns, missiles, and lasers, as well as deception through false signatures or decoy equipment. Training tools like the PLargonia AT variant reflect these needs, providing air-defense operators with drones that replicate the size, speed, and behavior of real loitering munitions, preparing them to engage effectively under realistic conditions. This places Poland’s project in the broader context of adapting to the widespread appearance of loitering weapons.
The Shahed-136, produced in Iran and widely used by Russia under the designation Geran-2, has become one of the most recognizable examples of loitering munitions. Its design features a delta wing and a piston engine and allows for a warhead of about 30 to 50 kilograms with ranges estimated between 900 and 2,500 kilometers, depending on variant and configuration. It has been used extensively in Ukraine for strikes on infrastructure and rear-area targets, often deployed in large numbers to overwhelm defenses. Russian domestic production in Tatarstan has supported sustained operations, making it a reference point for the effectiveness of low-cost, long-range drones in modern warfare.
The Shahed-136 has become a model for other developers because of its balance of range, payload, and production simplicity. Its construction allows for relatively low-cost manufacture using available components, enabling states with limited industrial bases to replicate or adapt the concept. The effectiveness demonstrated in Ukraine has underscored the utility of a design that can be mass-produced and deployed in waves. This has led to a trend in which multiple countries and companies design drones with similar characteristics, drawing on the Shahed as a template to accelerate development and reduce technical risk. The approach focuses on affordability, scale, and adequate payload rather than advanced materials or high-end electronics.
Examples of drones modeled after the Shahed design continue to appear internationally. Russia’s Geran-2 is the most prominent, produced domestically under license and deployed extensively. China has developed systems such as the DFX-50 and Sunflower-200 that replicate the delta-wing structure and strike function, while Ukraine has introduced designs like the Batyar and Bobr as indigenous long-range drones to respond to Russian use. In the United States, the LUCAS drone, presented in 2025, represents a functional analogue with modular payloads for both reconnaissance and strike. Turkey, Israel, and several European states have also produced loitering munitions with design cues from the Shahed concept. In this wider environment, the PLargonia’s pairing of AT and OWA configurations situates Poland to train against Shahed-class threats while retaining an option to field a compact strike payload under the same aerodynamic and propulsion architecture.
