- What it is: IRYDA+ is a hard‑kill counter‑UAS (C‑UAS) unmanned fighter concept designed to shoot down hostile drones, swarms and loitering munitions. The project was officially launched on September 15, 2025 by a Polish consortium. Pap Biznes
- Who’s behind it: MBF Group S.A. (project lead), Squadron Sp. z o.o. (ASE Group) and the Polish Industrial Lobby (PLP). MBF Group
- Why it matters: The consortium and multiple outlets describe IRYDA+ as Europe’s first unmanned fighter aircraft dedicated to hard‑kill C‑UAS. (Important: this is the project’s claim.) Bankier.pl
- Core specs (concept): 250–280 km/h top/chase speed; 8–10 hours endurance; 15–20 kg payload; 360° gun pod with 7.62 mm weapon; AI‑assisted TAS (Target‑Aim‑Shot) fire‑control. Motto: “VERRIMUS CAELUM – we sweep the skies.” MBF Group
- Timeline: Year 1: gun demonstrator/ground tests → Year 2: integrate gun pod on airframe & first flight tests → Year 3: full flight trials; goal: first combat‑capable unit in ~2–3 years. Pap Biznes
- Context: Recent cross‑border drone incursions and NATO’s “drone wall” push are intensifying demand for faster, cheaper air defense options. Reuters
- Caveat: Airbus’s Wingman (2024) is a European unmanned fighter concept, but it’s a loyal wingman/strike escort, not a drone‑interceptor purpose‑built for C‑UAS. That’s the gap IRYDA+ aims to fill. Airbus
In‑depth report
The problem IRYDA+ is trying to solve: the cost‑exchange squeeze
Modern conflicts have exposed a painful asymmetry: cheap drones often force defenders to respond with expensive interceptors. As RAND’s James Black puts it, it is “so cheap to attack and so expensive to defend.” RAND Corporation
Analysts at CSIS note that defensive interceptors are, on average, significantly more expensive than offensive munitions—feeding an unfavorable “cost‑exchange” for defenders. That’s one reason militaries are hunting for lower‑cost hard‑kill options to complement jamming and spoofing (“soft‑kill”). CSIS
What makes IRYDA+ different
IRYDA+ is pitched as a dedicated airborne drone‑hunter—an unmanned fighter optimized for hard‑kill engagements against drones and loitering munitions:
- Performance envelope: 250–280 km/h chase speed balances quick intercepts with loiter time (8–10 h), enabling persistent patrols over borders and critical infrastructure. MBF Group
- Hard‑kill effector: A 360° rotating gun pod with a 7.62 mm weapon, guided by AI‑assisted TAS for target detection/classification and fire‑control corrections. (A separate consortium brief highlights recoil‑compensated small arms integration.) MBF Group
- System of systems: The program includes ground control stations and training simulators, not just the airframe. MBF Group
This contrasts with Europe’s Airbus Wingman—an unmanned “fighter‑type” escort intended to support manned fighters in reconnaissance/strike/electronic‑attack roles. Wingman isn’t focused on C‑UAS interception; IRYDA+ is designed specifically for drone defense. Airbus
What “hard‑kill C‑UAS” means in practice
Within layered air defense, hard‑kill is the terminal option that physically destroys the target (guns, smaller interceptors, etc.), complementing soft‑kill (jamming, spoofing). As the U.S. Army frames it, “the final layer achieves a hard kill of small UAS,” typically via direct‑fire weapons. AUSA
IRYDA+ embraces that logic in the air rather than on the ground. The concept is to patrol, pursue, and engage multiple drones per sortie at much lower per‑shot cost than missiles. The consortium’s messaging captures the cost point bluntly: “Today, a rocket costing over a million dollars is used to shoot down a drone worth a few thousand dollars.” DRONELIFE
Why now: demand spikes on NATO’s eastern flank
In September 2025, over 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, spurring bilateral Ukrainian training support for Poland on drone defense. Meanwhile, Lithuania passed a law authorizing its forces to shoot down unlawful drones. The regional policy trend is clear: faster rules and tools for counter‑drone action. Reuters
Program status and roadmap
A regulatory filing and PAP Biznes report detail the staged plan:
- Year 1: Build firing demonstrator & conduct ground tests
- Year 2: Integrate gun pod with airframe; run simulations and first flight tests
- Year 3: Full flight trials & production prep
- Milestone: first combat‑capable unit in ~2–3 years, subject to testing and financing. Pap Biznes
The consortium comprises MBF Group S.A. (leader/financing, public company), Squadron Sp. z o.o. (engineering/UAV & anti‑drone integration), and PLP (expert network & policy interface). MBF Group
Expert voices: what the community is saying
- “[Counter‑unmanned aerial systems] are essential to success on the modern battlefield.” — Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, Commanding General, U.S. Army V Corps. Army
- “There’s no one system or one solution to counter‑UAS.” — Col. Donald Neal, Commander, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Army
- “…it is so cheap to attack and so expensive to defend.” — James Black, Assistant Director, Defence & Security, RAND Europe. RAND Corporation
- “Today, a rocket costing over a million dollars is used to shoot down a drone worth a few thousand dollars.” — IRYDA+ consortium representatives at launch. DRONELIFE
These perspectives, taken together, help situate IRYDA+: it’s an attempt to bend the economics and fill a tactical niche within a layered architecture that still needs sensors, EW, ground‑based effectors and (sometimes) missiles.
Is it really “Europe’s first” unmanned fighter for hard‑kill C‑UAS?
Several reputable items—the ESPI/Bankier filing, PAP Biznes and trade coverage—repeat the “first in Europe” language, but this should be read as project positioning. Europe already has unmanned fighter‑type programs (e.g., Airbus Wingman) and UCAV demonstrators (e.g., nEUROn), yet those are not purpose‑built to hunt drones. IRYDA+ is explicitly scoped as a drone‑interceptor with a gun pod and AI fire‑control, which is a distinct mission profile. Proof will come with flight tests and operational demos. Bankier.pl
Opportunities and open questions
Upside:
- Cost per intercept: Small‑calibre 7.62 mm ammunition is orders of magnitude cheaper than missile shots; persistent airborne patrols can cut response times. MBF Group
- Scalability: Modular pods, simulators and software give multiple commercialization paths (even C‑UAS‑as‑a‑Service, according to trade coverage). aviation24.pl
Risks/unknowns:
- Real‑world lethality: Effectiveness of 7.62 mm against diverse targets (fast FPVs, larger fixed‑wings) in wind, clutter and urban settings remains to be validated in tests. (U.S./NATO guidance stresses there’s no “silver bullet,” i.e., hard‑kill must fit a layered approach.) Army
- Safety & ROE: Kinetic engagements aloft introduce collateral‑damage and airspace management constraints that operators will have to mitigate (arcs of fire, backdrop awareness, de‑confliction). Guidance across NATO emphasizes multi‑layer integration and doctrine. NATO
- Schedule & funding: The plan foresees a 2–3 year path to a combat‑capable unit, but that depends on successful integration/flight tests and financing. Pap Biznes
Bottom line
IRYDA+ is an ambitious Polish attempt to create a purpose‑built, hard‑kill, unmanned drone‑interceptor—a niche Europe hasn’t filled to date. The “first in Europe” label is the consortium’s claim, and the project is early‑stage, but the operational logic—faster, cheaper, and scalable interceptions in a layered defense—tracks with what military leaders and analysts are calling for across NATO. The next 12–24 months of hardware integration and flight testing will show whether this “sweep the skies” concept can move from PowerPoint to patrol. RAND Corporation
Sources & further reading (selected)
- PAP Biznes: launch announcement and development milestones. Pap Biznes
- ESPI/Bankier filing: official claim of “first in Europe,” staged plan and business rationale. Bankier.pl
- MBF Group brief: specs (speed, endurance, payload), TAS/AI, program framing. MBF Group
- DroneLife: trade coverage positioning IRYDA+ as Europe’s first unmanned fighter for C‑UAS. DRONELIFE
- US Army (Project Flytrap): senior‑leader quotes on C‑UAS and layered/hard‑kill roles. Army
- RAND/CSIS: cost‑exchange context and interceptor economics. RAND Corporation
- Airbus Wingman: comparator (unmanned fighter‑type escort, not C‑UAS‑specific). Airbus
