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WB Group

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WB Group S.A.
Company typeSpółka Akcyjna
IndustryAerospace, Defence, Security, Electronics
Founded1997
Headquarters,
Poland
Key people
Piotr Wojciechowski
Websitewww.wbgroup.pl/en/

WB Group is a Polish electronics and aeronautics manufacturer, and one of Europe's largest private defence contractors.[1] The company was established in 1997 and is based in Ożarów Mazowiecki.[2] Through its various subsidiaries, WB produces military communications equipment,[3] command and control systems,[4] fire-control systems,[5] unmanned aerial vehicles,[6] and loitering munitions.[7]

WB Electronics Warmate is being used by Ukraine during the Russian invasion.[8] The FONET vehicle and battlefield communication system was licensed to L3Harris Technologies and is used by the United States Armed Forces.[9][10]

Acquisitions

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Flytronic

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In 2009 WB acquired the UAV startup Flytronic, which had created the FlyEye UAV now flown by the Polish Territorial Defence Force[11] and by the Armed Forces of Ukraine[12] under the WB Electronics brand.

Radmor

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Zakłady Radiowe Radmor was a radio equipment manufacturer formed at the Gdańsk University of Technology in 1947. After it expanded from marine-oriented equipment to home audio during the Soviet era, the company was re-privatized in 1994 and the focus on public service radios was restored. Radmor began collaborating with the French Thales conglomerate even before Poland's accession to NATO, and was one of the early members of the consortium developing the European Secure Software-defined Radio.

Arex

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MindMade

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Polish Development Fund

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In 2017 the Polish Development Fund, a fund of the Polish Treasury, invested PLN 128 million (EUR 30 million or USD 34 million at the time) in the WB Group, in exchange for 24% of shares.[13]

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References

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  1. ^ Team, ESD Editorial (2019-09-19). "Polish Defence Industry". European Security & Defence. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  2. ^ "WB Electronics - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  3. ^ "Personal and mobile communications systems - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  4. ^ "C4I Systems - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  5. ^ "Fire Control Systems - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  6. ^ "UAV systems - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  7. ^ "Reconnaissance & strike systems - WB GROUP". Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  8. ^ "The Warmate UAV – a Polish alternative to the Switchblades kamikaze drone already in Ukraine". 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  9. ^ "WB Group America | American BMS - System based on WB's FONET Technology". 2016-10-02. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  10. ^ "FONET System – New Enhanced Variant". 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  11. ^ "Polish Territorial Defence Forces Receive Almost 50 FlyEye UAVs". 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  12. ^ "'Stealth Aircraft' Helps the Ukrainian Armed Forces Destroy Enemy's 'Tor' Air Defense Systems and Other Equipment". 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  13. ^ Cielma, Mariusz (2017). "Skarb państwa inwestuje w grupę WB". Nowa Technika Wojskowa. 12: 59.