Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2 are developing the DragonFly circulating ammunition system.
MSPO 2021 was the launch site for the 2nd generation of the DragonFly circulating ammunition system, with production ready for Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. XNUMX SA. The development of the system is due to the constant interest of potential customers in this type of solution.
One of the most interesting events of the XXIX International Defense Industry Exhibition in Kielce this year was the presentation of the third-generation DragonFly revolving ammunition system. Since 2017, it has been developed by specialists from the Military Institute of Armament Technology and Military Aviation Work No. 2 SA from Bydgoszcz. Other defense companies from Bydgoszcz also participate in the project.
The DragonFly revolving ammunition system was included in the offer of WZL Nr 2 SA in 2017, when during the exhibition "Air Fair 2017 - Everything for Aviation" a license agreement was signed between the Bydgoszcz plant and the Military Institute of Weapons Technology, where the system was developed.
From the very beginning, the board of WZL Nr 2 SA proceeded from the fact that the main user of the DragonFly should be the Polish Armed Forces, which at that time signaled the need to purchase this type of weapon. Ultimately, the Polish-Polish rivalry ended with the ordering of a small batch of the competitive system for the needs of the Territorial Defense Forces - despite the growing interest around the world and the combat experience of other countries, until the project for the mass purchase of munitions in circulation was reported by the Ministry of National Defense.
One of the unique features of DragonFly is the lack of special launch devices. This, in turn, allows you to prepare ambushes using platforms previously placed on random terrain.
This situation was an important argument for WITU, whose specialists - with the participation of partners from the Polish Armaments Group companies from Bydgoszcz - began work on the further development of the system. The result of this work was the presentation this year of the third generation DragonFly. Importantly, the system is of interest to potential foreign customers, which, in turn, gives a chance to start mass production. If we consider competitive solutions, the purchase of a batch of systems by a domestic user will be an important help in promotion.
What changes have occurred in DragonFly over the past five years? We can say that he just matured and became even more versatile. The use of a vertical take-off and landing platform - a four-rotor one that does not need a take-off catapult, provides unique operational capabilities. Thanks to these properties and the introduction of new software, it has become possible to use covert attack tactics. The system operator can take the DragonFly platform to any place (of course, within the control system coverage area, which has a radius of about 10 km), land and wait for potential targets to appear. This, in turn, allows you to hide the system's presence on the battlefield earlier and surprise attacks later. These types of properties are unattainable for camera-based revolving munition systems in a classic aircraft system and using various types of launchers. In addition, thanks to the modular design, it is possible to change the battery at any time to extend the waiting time on the battlefield.
An important advantage is also the interchangeability of warheads, and hence the variety of applications. Currently, the DragonFly platform is offered with several warheads: cumulative, high-explosive, thermobaric, fragmentation and training. All of them are produced and supplied by Bydgoskie Zakłady Elektromechaniczne “BELMA” SA in cooperation with another company from the city on Brda, i.e. Zakłady Chemiczne “NITRO-CHEM” SA. WZL Nr 2 SA in DragonFly also includes TELDAT Sp. zoo sp. k It was the specialists of this company who worked on improving the platform control panel. In line with a concept that has become increasingly common in weapon control systems in recent years, this block features an interface that allows you to quickly learn all the necessary actions. Young soldiers who are "familiar" with game consoles should have no problem with intuitive mastering the principles of camera control and tactics for using the entire system. The specialists from Bydgoszcz are considering further changes to the human-machine interface, it all depends on the needs of potential customers.
According to the manufacturer, the DragonFly circulating ammunition system can operate within a radius of 10 km from the control center. The key limitations in this regard are the location of the radio link antenna and the topography. The platform can be equipped with a day or thermal imaging camera, which allows you to work in any weather conditions and at any time of the day. It is important to note that the changes made to the software make it possible to complete the task even if communication with the ground control point is lost, of course, in the case of an earlier target acquisition and transition to tracking mode.
