Poland Will Allow Russian Targets To Be Shot Down Without Visual Contact

• 29.09.2026, 16:36

The new rules will allow for a faster response to drones and missiles.

Poland is changing its rules of engagement regarding the use of force against suspicious aerial targets. In the coming days, Polish fighter jets and helicopters will be able to open fire without visual confirmation of a target if the aggregate data indicates that it is hostile. This was announced by Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Cezary Tomczyk, according to Bild.

Instead of mandatory visual identification, so-called “positive identification” is being introduced. The decision to destroy a target can be made based on radar data and other information fed into the system. Factors that may be taken into account include the direction of flight, the object’s parameters, and its behavior in airspace.

“The difference is fundamental,” Tomczyk stated, explaining the new procedure.

According to the deputy minister, this approach was previously used mainly during wartime or a state of emergency. Now Warsaw has decided to change the rules due to new threats, including those posed by high-speed drones and cruise missiles. Tomczyk called the change an innovation for NATO.

However, a single violation of the no-fly zone or a failure of the “friend-or-foe” system to respond is not automatically sufficient grounds to open fire. The military will evaluate the totality of available data.

Poland has repeatedly faced violations of its airspace amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. In September 2025, the Polish military shot down Russian drones over Polish territory for the first time.

The Polish Ministry of Defense believes that the new rules will allow for a faster response to aerial threats when the pilot does not have time to fly close to the target for a visual verification.