Polish Defense Group S.A. (PGZ S.A.), Military Aviation Works No. 2 (WZL 2) and the American company Anduril Industries signed a cooperation agreement on Monday, July 6, at the WZL 2 facility in Bydgoszcz, providing for the assembly and subsequent production in Poland of the Barracuda-500M autonomous long-range cruise missiles. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Minister of State Assets Wojciech Balczun.

Modern defense operations can no longer rely solely on limited-quantity, very expensive weapons systems. They require affordable long-range strike capabilities that can be rapidly produced, deployed in large quantities, and replenished at a pace that matches the dynamics of the modern battlefield. Thanks to the PGZ–Anduril partnership, one of Europe’s first large-scale production lines for a new generation of low-cost, scalable weapon systems will be established. This initiative will create new opportunities for the reindustrialization of the defense sector on the continent and provide Poland with the production capabilities for precision strike capabilities that the country currently needs.

“I would like to congratulate our partners at Anduril. You made the right choice in selecting Poland, the Polish Armaments Group, and Military Aviation Works No. 2,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Under a cooperation agreement—which builds on the terms of the agreement signed in October 2025—WZL-2, a subsidiary of the PGZ Group, and Anduril will produce thousands of SLB-500M systems. In subsequent phases of the project, PGZ and Anduril will gradually increase the share of local suppliers, incorporating more and more Polish and European components. The goal is to create a Polish version of the Barracuda as a product manufactured primarily in Europe and compliant with the requirements of the SAFE program. Military Aviation Works No. 2 is a strategic element of the project. Bydgoszcz, often referred to as the “NATO capital of Poland” due to its importance for military training and its well-developed defense industry, has a skilled workforce in the manufacturing and logistics sectors.

– The cooperation agreement with Anduril represents a breakthrough for both our national defense and the Polish defense industry. It is also a milestone in the development of the Polish Defense Group’s capabilities. Together with our American partner, we will soon be able to produce and deliver several thousand low-cost yet technologically advanced, autonomous long-range cruise missiles of the Barracuda system. This is a completely new area for the Polish Armed Forces, and we are counting on positive interest in our new product, including from other markets,” said Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO of PGZ S.A. – We are building production capacity and charting a path for the technological development of missiles that can serve as a vital component of Poland’s security through deterrence and long-range strike capabilities. An additional aspect of the cooperation will be the participation of companies within the Polish Armaments Group in the development of these missiles, including their adaptation for Polish and European use. The agreement also demonstrates how important cooperation with the U.S. defense industry is to PGZ,” added Adam Leszkiewicz.

“The future of deterrence belongs to nations that can produce advanced military capabilities quickly, cost-effectively, and at the necessary scale,” said Brian Moran, Anduril’s vice president for Europe. “By launching Barracuda production in Poland, together with PGZ, we are helping to build a European industrial base capable of replenishing stocks of precision-guided munitions at a pace that meets modern operational needs. At the same time, we are taking a significant step toward transforming the defense industry on the continent,” he added.

“WZL is a company with over 80 years of experience in aircraft repair and maintenance. Today, however, our capabilities are much broader. The last two years have been a period of accelerated transformation for the company—from a repair-focused model to a modern production model. National security is built right here in Bydgoszcz, and we feel responsible for that,” said Jakub Gazda, President of the Management Board of Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 S.A.

 Surface-Launched Barracuda-500M jest sprawdzoną i cieszącą się dużym zainteresowaniem odpowiedzią na wyzwania sojuszników związane z produkcją amunicji i uzbrojenia. W maju bieżącego roku Departament Wojny Stanów Zjednoczonych ogłosił zawarcie umowy ramowej z firmą Anduril w celu szybkiego zwiększenia skali produkcji systemu SLP-500M. Pocisk SLB-500M został zaprojektowany do skutecznego zwalczania szerokiego spektrum celów lądowych i morskich. Jest wyposażony w głowicę bojową o masie 100 funtów (około 45 kg) i oferuje zasięg przekraczający 500 mil morskich (ponad 925 km). System Barracuda został opracowany z myślą o produkcji wielkoseryjnej dzięki uproszczonej architekturze, odporności łańcucha dostaw oraz wykorzystaniu standardowych procesów i narzędzi produkcyjnych.

Anduril Industries, Inc.

Anduril Industries, Inc. is an American defense company specializing in autonomous aerial platforms. It manufactures, among other things, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), autonomous surveillance systems, and networked command and control software. Learn more at https://www.anduril.com/

Polish Defense Group S.A.

The Polish Defense Group is a leader in the domestic defense industry and one of the largest defense conglomerates in Central Europe. The Group comprises nearly 70 companies—modern industrial plants, maintenance facilities, and research centers that are key to the Polish defense industry. PGZ’s product portfolio addresses the full spectrum of needs of modern armed forces and other customers—ranging from weapons and individual soldier equipment, through communications systems, optoelectronics, ammunition production, radar reconnaissance systems, barrel artillery, specialized transport vehicles, armored equipment, anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, to shipbuilding for naval forces. At the same time, PGZ possesses comprehensive MRO capabilities. Learn more at https://grupapgz.pl/

Military Aviation Works No. 2

Military Aviation Works No. 2 is one of the largest aviation plants in Poland and is part of the Polish Defense Group. For nearly 80 years, it has specialized in the maintenance, modernization, and servicing of military aircraft and aircraft engines. It offers comprehensive one-stop-shop services for airframes and engines, is developing expertise in civil aviation, and designs unmanned systems, such as the “Orlik” short-range tactical UAV system and the “Wizjer” mini-class UAV system, while consistently growing through the implementation of new innovative projects and the adoption of modern technologies that meet the needs of today’s aviation and defense markets. Learn more at https://wzl2.mil.pl/