MSPO 2025: Poland's WB Group enters surface warfare market with USVs

A prototype of WB Group's Stormrider optionally manned USV at MSPO 2025. (Janes/Andrew White)

Polish company WB Group unveiled an optionally manned vessel and separately an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) at the MSPO 2025 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland, held from 2 to 5 September.

Company representatives told Janes that both solutions are being designed to support the Polish Navy across a variety of use cases.

Stormrider

WB Group's optionally piloted ‘Stormrider' multi-purpose vessel was showcased for the first time in public as a reconnaissance/strike solution for the Polish Navy as well as international customers, a representative said.

Measuring 8.5 m in length and offering a maximum operating range of 500 km, the Stormrider USV prototype has been designed to support maritime operations in the Baltic Sea, providing deterrence against suspicious surface vessels dragging anchors across the seabed to disrupt undersea cables and other critical undersea infrastructure (CUI), the representative said.

The representative confirmed that “informal consultation and discussions” remained ongoing between WB Group and officials, adding that “the Polish Navy has seen it and are keen to see more tests”.

In July 2025, the Stormrider prototype completed sea trials focused on navigation and propulsion up to Sea State 4. However, the WB Group was unable to confirm when the next trials would take place.

The Stormrider is equipped with an under-the-hull echosounder and multibeam sonar to monitor infrastructure below the surface. At MSPO 2025, the USV was also exhibited with the ZMU-05N remote weapon station with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, although the WB Group representative said this particular armament could be swapped out for an alternative calibre, dependent upon customer preferences.