Poland has signed an agreement with mobility developer AMZ-Kutno to supply 286 Kleszcz light armored reconnaissance personnel carriers to the army.
The contract follows a study by Warsaw’s military science organizations and the National Center for Research and Development to equip land forces with a new reconnaissance system based on the Soviet-made Bóbr vehicles and their modern iterations.
Once deployed, the Kleszcz is expected to secure an “appropriate level of crew protection” during intelligence missions against enemies on the battlefield.
Deliveries will run from 2025 through 2035.
“This contract is a confirmation of strengthening our defense. We will modernize the Polish army and transform the Polish Armed Forces,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated.
“This light transporter will be used for reconnaissance. The war in Ukraine showed how important the “eyes and ears of the army” are. Reconnaissance of the battlefield, reconnaissance of the terrain and recognizing what the enemy is planning are crucial today”
The Kleszcz Vehicle
The Kleszcz is a 4×4 wheeled system operated by a five-member crew and powered by a diesel engine with more than 300 horsepower.
The 6.9-meter (22-foot) vehicle has a maximum speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour and can be integrated with a NATO-standard ballistic and mine-resistant chassis.
Alongside its specialized armor, the Kleszcz is protected by a laser radiation warning system, a remote-controlled weapons module, and a smoke grenade launcher.
Depending on combat requirements, the platform can be integrated with a 30-millimeter automated cannon turret or anti-tank guided missiles.
The Polish government first introduced the Kleszcz in 2018. Two years later, Warsaw began tests of the vehicle’s optoelectronic and radar equipment. The final phase of overall preliminary trials concluded the same year.
Additional Ground Fleets
In 2023, Poland greenlighted the procurement of light reconnaissance vehicles, wheeled armored personnel carriers, and heavy infantry combat vehicles.
The initiative will be divided into three contracts per vehicle type. Delivery of the recon vehicles will commence this year until 2030, while the armored carriers are expected to be delivered by 2035.
Details regarding the shipping of the “several hundred” heavy infantry fighting vehicles were not disclosed.
