MBF Group Modern air defense is undergoing a profound transformation. Cheap drones are forcing the world’s armies to use costly combat platforms, which are increasingly being criticized as economically inefficient. In this context, the IRYDA PLUS project and the February 20, 2026 agreement. The ROFR agreement with the Turkish partner is a significant step toward building a rational, multi-layered response to UAV threats.
THE ECONOMICS OF MODERN AIR DEFENSE – WHY NEW SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED
The modern battlefield has changed faster than many analysts were willing to admit. Low-cost drones, such as the Shahed with a speed of about 180 km/h or the Bayraktar TB2 reaching over 200 km/h, can today force the use of combat platforms worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Sending a billion-dollar fighter jet to intercept a drone costing a fraction of that amount is increasingly criticized as economically inefficient. It is in this gap between cost and effectiveness that space for new specialized interceptor systems is emerging.
The discussion of the cost-effectiveness of air defense is no longer theoretical. An hour of flying an F-16 aircraft is an expense of tens of thousands of dollars, and with the F-35, operating costs are even higher. Meanwhile, Shahed-class drones, Orlan-10 or mass-produced circulating munitions remain relatively cheap and difficult to combat economically by classic means. Also, very light interceptor platforms moving at 80-100 km/h are not always able to respond effectively to targets with speeds in excess of 180-220 km/h.
It is in this space between expensive aircraft systems and free improvised interceptor platforms that the IRYDA PLUS concept is emerging. The project involves the construction of a specialized system designed to combat medium-class drones, including those traveling at speeds approaching 180-220 km/h. Instead of competing with fighters or missile systems, IRYDA PLUS is intended to fill a specific, economically viable operational niche. This approach is part of the global trend of building a multi-layered, cost-sustainable defense against BSPs.
ROFR WITH TURKEY PARTNER – VALIDATION AND INTERNATIONAL POSITIONING OF IRIDIUM PLUS
On February 20, 2026, MBF Group S.A. entered into a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) agreement with a technology partner from Turkey for the IRYDA PLUS system. In practice, this means reserving priority for the purchase of a certain number of systems, with no obligation to acquire them at this stage. This type of instrument is not a simple letter of intent – it is a formal, contractual confirmation of interest in the project in operational terms. For a project under development, this is an important signal that its concept is seen as viable and potentially useful in the international environment.
The choice of Turkey as a first-booking destination is no accident. It is a country with the second-largest military in NATO and one of the most rapidly growing markets for unmanned technology in the world. Platforms such as the Bayraktar TB2 have become a global symbol for the effective use of drones in asymmetric and conventional conflicts. Turkey is also a natural bridge to markets in the Middle East and countries in the region, where UAV systems and anti-drone solutions are among the modernization priorities.
The right of first refusal for IRYDA PLUS should be viewed not only as a commercial instrument, but primarily as a form of market validation of the project. In practice, it means that a partner operating in one of the most advanced UAV markets has deemed the system worth securing priority in a potential deployment. Such decisions are usually made after analyzing the concept, operational parameters and cost model. As a result, IRYDA PLUS gains not only a technological dimension, but also an international strategic positioning.
From the point of view of the capital market, the ROFR agreement also has a structural dimension. For those exploring the possibility of financial co-participation in a project – whether in the form of a special-purpose issue of shares, bonds, or industry partnerships – the formal reservation of systems by a foreign partner is an important element confirming the commercial potential of the solution. In practice, this means that the project does not function only in the conceptual sphere, but begins to be embedded in real international relations. Such signals are often one of the key arguments in discussions with institutional investors and funds specializing in the dual-use and defense sectors.
At the current conceptual and development stage, based on an analysis of the market for specialized systems of this class, the estimated value of a complete IRYDA PLUS set – including a ground station, three interceptor platforms, a training package, technical security and service support – could be in the range of several million euros, depending on the configuration and range of equipment. In practice, this means a cost many times lower than the price of a single combat platform or missile system used to neutralize drones. The final pricing will depend on user requirements and the specifics of the implementation, but the project is already positioning itself as an economically reasonable solution in its class.
MBF GROUP ECOSYSTEM – FROM TECHNOLOGY TO SCALABLE REVENUE MODEL
IRYDA PLUS was designed as a system, not a one-off product. This means that in addition to platform and ground station delivery, operator training, technical support, maintenance, software updates and potential hardware upgrades play a key role. In the specialized systems sector, it is the service and training component that builds a long-term relationship with the user and the stability of the operating model. This approach increases the predictability of the project’s operation and strengthens its attractiveness from an investor perspective.
In parallel to the ROFR agreement, MBF Group is developing technological cooperation with a partner from Turkey in the field of UAV components and solutions. It includes, among other things. access to selected unmanned platforms, flight control units (FCUs) and GCS-class software used for mission planning and monitoring. The construction of such a technological base strengthens the design and operational competence around IRYDA PLUS, while at the same time allowing the development of offerings in the area of civil and industrial applications of drones. It is the design and technology synergy that lays the foundation for further scaling of the venture.
It is possible that already during the Drone World Expo 2026 (March 3-5) there will be a personal meeting with the management and engineers of Shark Aviation, with the aim of signing another agreement within the framework of projects carried out by the MBF Group – Squadron ASE – Polish Industrial Lobby consortium. In parallel, the parties are analyzing and negotiating the possibility of signing an annex to the ROFR, which could in the future clarify the financial parameters of cooperation or the price spread expected for the IRYDA PLUS system. Any decisions in this regard will depend on project progress and further agreements between partners.
IRYDA PLUS is not being developed as a response to a fad, but as an attempt to rationalize the cost and logic of modern air defense. The ROFR agreement with the Turkish partner shows that the project is beginning to function in a viable international operational context. For MBF Group, this is another step in building a Polish solution that can find its place in the global ecosystem of dual-use technologies. In a world where efficiency increasingly has to go hand in hand with the economics of operation, such projects are no longer an option – they are becoming a necessity.
