MSPO 2025: Poland develops first-ever cruise missile Lanca to strike targets hundreds of kilometers away.

At MSPO 2025, WB Group presented a mock-up of the Lanca, marking what could be considered Poland’s first domestically conceived cruise missile project. While Poland has been involved in multinational initiatives, such as the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) program launched in July 2024 with France, Germany, and Italy to jointly develop ground-launched systems exceeding 500 kilometers in range, it has not previously led or independently created such a system. Operationally, Poland has relied on foreign-sourced cruise missiles, such as the U.S.-built AGM-158 JASSM-ER employed by its Air Force and the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile (NSM) fielded for coastal defense since 2013.
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Initial information indicates that Lanca is a medium-range land attack cruise missile conceived for containerized launches from both land vehicles and naval platforms, allowing straightforward integration with existing Polish and NATO infrastructure. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The project was revealed unexpectedly, but it is part of a broader trend among Central and Eastern European states to expand long-range strike and deterrence capabilities in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Similar to Ukraine’s recent developments, the Lanca is positioned as an effort to increase both national technological independence and the role of the domestic defense industry in the regional security environment. The Lanca has been conceived as a medium-range land attack cruise missile capable of launches from containerized systems on road-mobile trucks as well as from naval platforms. This choice of basing provides flexibility and allows integration into Poland’s existing infrastructure and that of NATO without the need for dedicated launch facilities. The design incorporates folding wings to enable storage and transport in standard containers, and its launch sequence begins with a solid-fuel booster to provide initial altitude and speed before transitioning to a turbojet sustainer for the main flight. Imagery released ahead of MSPO shows a compact airframe with a characteristic air intake below the fuselage and a nose recess that may house different seeker options.

Cruise missiles, such as Lanca, are unmanned guided weapons that rely on aerodynamic lift for sustained flight using onboard propulsion. This allows them to fly pre-programmed routes at very low altitudes, taking advantage of terrain masking to reduce the chances of radar detection. Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a fixed trajectory, cruise missiles can maneuver, update flight paths, and achieve high precision against designated targets. The key advantages of such systems include the ability to strike critical infrastructure at significant distances, high flexibility in basing, and the possibility of engaging both fixed and mobile targets depending on the seeker configuration. These attributes are generally viewed as increasing survivability and effectiveness in modern conflicts where air defense systems are dense and layered.

Technical data on Lanca remains undisclosed by official sources, which is standard practice for such programs, but defense analysts have provided indicative assessments. Estimates suggest a range of 500 to 800 kilometers with potential for extension in later variants, a subsonic speed of approximately Mach 0.8 to 0.9, and flight altitudes as low as 50 to 100 meters above terrain. Guidance systems are expected to include GPS and INS, with possible integration of TERCOM or electro-optical scene-matching to maintain accuracy in environments where satellite signals may be denied. The warhead is believed to be conventional and modular, with a mass between 200 and 450 kilograms, potentially including penetrator types designed for hardened facilities. These parameters would place the missile in a category comparable to modern Western medium-range cruise missiles such as the American Tomahawk or the Franco-British Storm Shadow, though all figures remain estimates pending confirmation.

The development of Lanca is taking place alongside significant missile efforts in Ukraine, which in August introduced the Long Neptune with a reported range of up to 1,000 kilometers, and the Flamingo missile designed for massed, coordinated strikes against critical infrastructure. In comparison, Lanca appears focused on balancing range with platform flexibility and concealability. By employing containerized launchers, Poland gains the ability to disperse assets across the country, complicating adversary targeting. When considered alongside Ukrainian and Lithuanian missile initiatives, Lanca contributes to a broader network of regional deterrence assets that can strengthen NATO’s eastern flank through interoperability and distributed basing concepts.

The strategic significance of the program is closely tied to Poland’s ongoing modernization efforts, which have included acquisitions of Abrams tanks, HIMARS rocket artillery, and F-35 fighter aircraft. The introduction of a domestically developed cruise missile reduces dependence on foreign suppliers and may support future export opportunities. For WB Group, which is already known for Warmate loitering munitions and secure communications systems, Lanca represents a progression into larger effectors. The company has also expanded activities regionally, including the establishment of FlyEye reconnaissance drone production in Ukraine and joint ventures with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace to produce 239 mm rockets for K239 Chunmoo and the Polish Homar-K variant. Within this industrial context, Lanca may serve as both a tool of national defense policy and a component of Poland’s defense export ambitions.

Operationally, Lanca is designed to deliver precision strikes against a wide array of targets, ranging from fuel depots and command centers to naval surface vessels, depending on the seeker and warhead combination. Its low-altitude subsonic flight, combined with containerized mobility, gives it potential to evade detection and increase survivability. Integration into Poland’s command and control structures is expected to follow NATO protocols for target selection, collateral damage assessment, and coordination with allied operations. While current information is derived largely from models and early reporting, the Lanca program reflects a national decision to field a modern cruise missile capability within the next phase of defense modernization. More details on specifications, integration, and timelines are expected following the MSPO 2025 exhibition.