IRYDA+ X1 programme and potential industrial development in Poland

WARSAW, POLAND — [04/08/2026] — MBF Group S.A. and Türkiye-based Shark Aviation are preparing the first public presentation of the IRYDA+ X1 unmanned aircraft system in Poland and Europe. It will take place on 8 September 2026, during the opening day of the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO in Kielce.

MBF Group has been invited to participate in a panel discussion and deliver a paper during the conference “Dual-Use Technologies as an Element of Strengthening National Defence and Economic Development.” The company will present the programme’s development to date, the role of Polish-Turkish cooperation and the assumptions concerning further presentations, testing and commercialisation.

IRYDA+ X1 is being developed jointly with Shark Aviation, whose team is led by CEO Saban Abur. The Turkish partner provides aviation, engineering and software capabilities, while MBF Group develops commercial, institutional and investment relationships and builds the programme’s position in European markets.

An important stage in the programme was the July visit of an MBF Group delegation to Konya. The visit included a technical demonstration involving five prototype platforms, including an autonomous mission profile of approximately 24 kilometres and a coordinated operation of two aircraft managed by one operator through a single Ground Control Station.

“Industrial renewal should not be understood as a return to outdated production models. It should be based on new technological specialisations, including unmanned systems, electronics, automation and dual-use technologies. An investment linked to such a programme could use the industrial traditions of a selected region, retain skilled personnel and create new professional opportunities for young engineers,” said Professor Paweł Soroka, Coordinator of the COP 2 Project and representative of the Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Polish Industrial Lobby.

At MSPO, IRYDA+ X1 will be presented as a system that has reached the stage of verified technical demonstrations. The partners intend to discuss both the results achieved to date and the limitations of the current prototype configuration. The objective is to begin discussions with organisations that could participate in subsequent testing, integration, component development, servicing or future implementation.

In the longer term, MBF Group intends to assess the feasibility of establishing a Polish unmanned-systems centre. The facility could perform integration, assembly, testing, quality control, servicing, operator training and after-sales support, while gradually introducing manufacturing processes once the relevant technology arrangements have been agreed.

“The most valuable result of Polish-Turkish cooperation would not be limited to bringing a finished product to Poland. We want to build a structure around the programme covering engineering, testing, servicing, training and—where technologically and commercially justified—production. Such a centre could give a selected region a new economic specialisation and attract a network of domestic suppliers,” said Robert Krassowski, COO and Authorised Representative of the Management Board of MBF Group S.A.

One of the assumptions under consideration is that the facility could be located outside Poland’s largest metropolitan areas, in a region with an industrial tradition, access to qualified personnel, technical schools or universities, but also a need for new investment and long-term skilled employment.

The centre could generate demand for suppliers from the electronics, mechanical engineering, composites, software and aviation sectors. It could also cooperate with local technical schools, universities, research and development centres and companies with existing industrial-production experience.

This approach is consistent with the network-based COP 2 concept, whose objectives include stimulating domestic final-product manufacturing, cooperation between companies and academia, and the reconstruction of modern technology-intensive industries, including in areas that have lost part of their former economic capacity.

The company has not selected a location and does not present the proposed facility as a confirmed investment. Any decision will depend on feasibility studies, market demand, technology-transfer and licensing terms, access to financing and cooperation with national and regional authorities.

MBF Group S.A. 

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