Drone Near US Navy Air Defense Unit in Poland Prompts Polish Military 112 Call

An unauthorized drone was detected about 500 meters from the US Navy-operated Aegis Ashore missile defense base in Redzikowo, northern Poland, on Tuesday, Sept. 15. In accordance with standard operating procedures for activities beyond the base perimeter, a Polish Armed Forces military duty officer called Poland’s civilian emergency number 112. The incident was first reported by Polish outlet Onet, which cited military and government sources.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Drone detected near strategic base Polish surveillance systems detected a drone operating near the Redzikowo base, which hosts the US Navy’s Aegis Ashore missile defense system. The installation is strategically important for Poland, NATO and the United States. According to Onet, the drone remained in the area for approximately five minutes. The outlet reported that on-duty Polish Armed Forces officials identified the location outside the perimeter of the base from which the operator was controlling the UAV and notified relevant services, including the civilian police. The report did not identify the drone’s operator or indicate that the UAV was linked to Russia. Military unit called emergency number 112 One of the reported responses to the incident was a call from the Polish military duty officer unit to Poland’s emergency number 112. It is unclear from the Onet report why the military unit used the emergency line or whether police officers were dispatched to the site. Onet also reported that military officials did not publicly confirm whether the drone was jammed, intercepted or otherwise neutralized. The Defense Ministry declined to provide details about the base’s security, surveillance or electronic-warfare (EW) systems. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Hits Major Russian Drone Hub 175 Kilometers From Border, Damages 5 Launchers The Tsimbulova complex, located about 175–180 km from Ukraine, reportedly stores and prepares hundreds of Geran-family attack drones. The drone was flying in an area covered by a flight ban, raising questions about how it entered restricted airspace near one of Poland’s most sensitive military installations. Poland says drone stayed under control Poland’s Defense Ministry later said the aircraft was monitored throughout the incident and did not approach the base’s critical facilities or fly over the base. “The drone was detected, and the location from which the operator controlled it was also identified,” the ministry said, according to Onet. The ministry did not say whether the operator had been detained or whether criminal proceedings had been opened. According to a report by na:Temat, another Polish outlet, Civic Coalition MP Patryk Jaskulski responded to comments by an Onet reader, who thought the Polish military should have shot down the unidentified civilian drone: “[T]he incident took place on September 15th, not today. The drone was detected approximately 500 meters from the base, the operator’s location was determined, and the authorities were notified. The 112 call was part of the procedure, not the ‘entire defense of Redzikowo.’” he stated in part. Poland has repeatedly warned about the growing threat posed by small drones to military and critical infrastructure. The Redzikowo incident comes as NATO members strengthen airspace monitoring and counter-drone defenses following repeated drone-related security incidents across the region. Growing drone risks along Poland’s eastern flank On Sept. 17, a Russian jet-powered drone fell or was destroyed roughly 4 kilometers from Polish territory, prompting Warsaw to scramble military aircraft and place its air defenses on alert. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has warned that inadequate air defense support for Ukraine could increase the risk to Poland, arguing that more Russian drones could reach Polish airspace if they are not intercepted over Ukraine. The minister described the incidents along NATO’s eastern flank as part of a broader Russian strategy. Warsaw is concerned that Russia could target border crossings linking Poland and Ukraine. The warnings have added to broader fears that repeated drone incidents could test NATO’s eastern defenses and expose vulnerabilities around military and critical infrastructure. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.