The Polish state defense company PGZ has developed a 12.7 mm caliber quad-barrel machine gun, designated as WLKM, which can be likened to the American "Minigun" and boasts a claimed effective firing range of up to 2200 meters.
Considering the configuration and characteristics of this weapon system, it is surprising that no buyers have emerged yet, as theoretically, this machine gun could be used to effectively target enemy drones.
Specifically, in their publication, the Army Recognition portal reports that Polish PGZ is currently showcasing its WLKM at the IDEX 2025 exhibition taking place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Initially, the Polish equivalent of the "Minigun" was designed as a weapon for armored vehicles, ground-based stationary firing positions, patrol boats, or multi-role helicopters. Moreover, this machine gun has relatively compact dimensions and weighs only 50 kilograms (for comparison, the DShKM weighs 33.5 kilograms).
However, the Polish are now primarily positioning their WLKM as an anti-drone weapon, meaning it can literally be used to fire at enemy drones with an effective range of up to 2200 meters. This can be seen as a suitable response to the challenge posed by the dominance of drones on the battlefield.
It is also noted that the Polish WLKM has a firing rate of 3600 rounds per minute, with electric power used for barrel rotation, and the machine gun is designed for the 12.7 mm x 99 NATO (.50 BMG) cartridge.
From Defense Express, we want to emphasize a few points. On one hand, the effective firing range of 2200 meters is appealing, especially since a similar indicator for the ZU-23-2 is up to 2500 meters.
However, another important metric is missing – the height of target engagement, which would provide a better understanding of how the Polish WLKM could be utilized for drone defense in modern battlefield conditions.
Additionally, it should be understood that the firepower of a specific weapon system (the Polish equivalent of the Minigun, in this case) is not the only factor; the situational awareness and data transmission systems connected to the specific crew operating the weapon are equally significant.
