The Szerszeń UAV means "Shaheed" in Polish.
The Szerszeń air target on its launcher. Photo: Spidersweb.pl
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in disposable impact drones Heavy-duty class. Several countries have already presented their own prototypes, and new projects are emerging. One of them is being launched in Poland: the Szerszeń UAV is being developed in two versions—combat and training.
Adaptation of the concept
Poland actively cooperates with Ukraine in the military-technical sphere. As part of this, Polish specialists are studying the remains of Russian munitions used in combat, including parts of all modifications of the Geran-2 attack UAVs.
Having assessed Russian drones and the results of their use, the Polish military decided to develop its own system of this kind. The general development program drone received the designation PLargonia (a reference to geranium "Geranium" in Polish, which is reminiscent of its prototype, the Russian Geranium-2. The specific production aircraft for the Air Force is designated PL-AT-1: the internal company designation is Hornet (after the manufacturer; English for "hornet"), and the proper name is Szerszeń, which also means "hornet" in Polish.
The Polish Air Force Technical Institute (Instytut Techniczny Wojsk Lotniczych, ITWL) became the lead developer. Hornet — Polskie Drony was brought in to develop the production of military equipment.
It's worth making a digression here regarding the project's logic. It's telling that a NATO member state with access to Western UAVs and high-tech systems is choosing not a complex modular platform, but is essentially replicating a relatively simple Iranian-Russian aircraft. This doesn't seem like a sign of technological weakness, but rather a deliberate choice: a tailless, delta-winged, piston-engine UAV has already proven its suitability for mass strikes against stationary targets, is significantly cheaper than "traditional" attack UAVs, and is easier to deploy and maintain. Mass production, low cost, and tailored to a specific mission are more important here than versatility and high performance specifications.
The new development was first publicly announced in mid-May. By this time, the design had been completed and pilot systems had been manufactured for testing. They were sent to the Central Air Force Testing Range near Ustka to test their key characteristics and practice combat use.
It was also reported at the time that Hornet – Polish Drones would produce a pre-production batch within the next few weeks, with full-scale production scheduled to begin in the fall. If the plan holds, the Air Force could receive the first operational systems by the end of the year. However, this is still just a plan. The gap between the production line presentation and actual serial production is typical for the defense industry, so the timeline could shift.
On July 9, a presentation of the new production line took place at the Hornet — Polskie Drony plant in Sochaczew. Defense Ministry officials were shown the assembly areas and finished products—several Szerszeń UAVs of two main models and a towed launcher.
Goals and objectives
The main goal of the Szerszeń project is to create a Polish attack UAV capable of expanding the Air Force's capabilities for striking deep into enemy defenses. During the development phase, several specific requirements were imposed on the system.
A presentation of the production facilities. A strike UAV is in the foreground. Photo: Polska-zbrojna.pl
The discussion focused on maximizing localization of production, reducing dependence on imports, and mitigating political risks. To this end, the maximum possible share of components is produced in Poland, with the remainder sourced from European countries. According to the developer, the use of Chinese components is completely excluded.
All rights to the PL-AT-1 Szerszeń project belong to the Polish Ministry of Defence. This allows the ministry to freely dispose of the design and technological documentation, ordering UAV production from any organization and increasing production volumes. Furthermore, the views of third parties involved in the project do not need to be taken into account.
Another organizational step is related to the Ministry of Defense's rights to the project. Recently, such orders were removed from the state procurement system, simplifying and speeding up the selection of products and contracting. In the future, this approach will also be applied to the "Shershnya" missiles.
The PL-AT-1 was developed for the Polish Air Force, but its internationalization is already under consideration. Interestingly, revenue from exports will accrue not only to Hornet – Polish Drones, but also to the copyright holder, the Ministry of Defense.
The "Shershen" was originally designed for mass production. It is claimed that the Sochaczew production line will be capable of producing hundreds of these UAVs monthly, allowing for rapid stockpiling, replenishment, and fulfillment of export orders. "Hundreds per month" refers to the stated design capacity, not the actual production level. Actual production volumes will depend on funding, procurement, and contracts.
Technical features
Polish specialists make no secret of the fact that their "Shershen" is a reimagined copy of the Iranian "Shahed-131" (known in Russia as the "Geran-2"). However, the "Shahed-131" and "Geran-2" are not the same thing: they are different vehicles with different sizes and ranges. The "Shershen" is closer in size to the smaller "Shahed-131."
Detailed official performance specifications have not yet been disclosed: the project is still in the production ramp-up phase. Some of the data below is based on public statements from the developers, while others are based on comparisons with the Shahed/Geranium. Actual performance may vary and will be refined as the vehicle is used.
The project created a single aerial platform with two versions: the Szerszeń-2 kamikaze attack drone and the Szerszeń-1 aerial target (AT index, meaning "Aerial Target"). They differ primarily in the presence or absence of a warhead.
The UAV is a tailless design: a rudimentary fuselage and a delta wing without horizontal stabilizers, with small vertical stabilizers at the tips. The airframe makes extensive use of plastics and composites.
According to official presentations, the aircraft is approximately 2,6 meters long, has a wingspan of approximately 2,2 meters, and a launch weight of approximately 85 kg. Therefore, the "Shershen" is indeed no larger than the "Geran" or "Shahed."
The wreckage of the Russian Geranium-2 UAVs, recovered in Ukraine in 2023. Photo by the US Department of Defense.
A piston engine with a two-bladed pusher propeller is housed in the tail of the fuselage. According to available data, the power plant provides a speed of approximately 185–200 km/h.
The range situation is more complex. The current configuration is stated to provide a range of approximately 400 km, while the Ministry of Defense expects this to increase to approximately 1000 km; some sources mention a range of up to 900–1200 km, depending on the configuration—payload, fuel capacity, etc. Therefore, the higher figures refer to target or potential values, not to a confirmed standard specification.
Both versions of the Hornets feature an autonomous control system that guides the UAV along a predetermined route. Satellite and inertial navigation systems are used for navigation. Reconnaissance and/or homing systems are currently absent.
The Szerszeń-2 strike version carries a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing tens of kilograms; other payload variants may be developed in the future. This UAV is designed to attack stationary targets with known coordinates.
The Szerszeń-1 aerial target has no warhead—it likely has a reflector installed in its place to simulate an aerial target. The target is equipped with a parachute: if no hit occurs during training, the aircraft can return and land.
The launch system is based on a semitrailer with rails, along which a trolley with UAV mounts moves; a pneumatic system provides initial acceleration. The system also includes a launcher tractor, a UAV transport vehicle, and other equipment.
In different roles
The Polish Air Force's interest in attack UAVs like the Shahed-131 is understandable: these drones combine acceptable flight and combat performance with low cost and ease of use. The Polish project is not unique: following the mass deployment of Shaheds in Ukraine, similar disposable kamikaze drones are being developed in a number of countries, including the United States. This is a general trend: inexpensive, long-range, delta-winged piston-engine aircraft designed for mass strikes against infrastructure and stationary targets. The key here is not the perfection of the design, but the ability to produce and launch hundreds of them at a reasonable cost.
Against this backdrop, the Polish PL-AT-1 has a curious feature: it has two versions, one combat and one training. The economic implications of this dual-use design are significant:
- preparation of calculations becomes cheaper Defense: they work on a target as close as possible to the real threat, without wasting expensive reusable targets;
- The tactics of detecting and destroying “shahid-like” targets are being tested on the same type of apparatus that the Polish side itself uses in its combat configuration;
- Logistics and production are simplified: a single wing, fuselage, engine and control system are used, differing only in the presence of a warhead and a parachute system.
As a result, the army gains both a strike weapon and a realistic "training adversary" for the price of a standardized, disposable platform. It's also curious that the target received the junior index "1," although it's premature to draw any conclusions about the project's priorities from this, as there are no official statements on the matter.
Otherwise, the Polish "Shershen" is close to similar foreign developments and, in theory, could demonstrate comparable results. However, the project's future currently depends not on its specifications, but on the industry's ability to launch mass production. This issue should become clearer in the coming months.
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