Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo – a revolution in optoelectronics presentation

BTDE, or the Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo, is a trade fair combined with equipment testing conducted by former special forces operators in real-life Bieszczady conditions, ensuring an extreme level of testing. The event is quite exclusive due to its closed-door format.

We close the gate and host the event at the AMW Rewita Solina resort, where we have facilities for 500 guests and 50 exhibitors. The expo will be held in a day-and-night format, with testing conducted both during the day and at night, in complete darkness,

– said Maciej Rzesiowski, Chief Strategist and originator of BTDE.

According to the organizers, the Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo 2026 is intended to serve as an alternative to sterile indoor presentations. In their concept, the technical parameters of the equipment on offer must be verified under real operational load. In the harsh terrain of the Bieszczady Mountains, the first test-and-buy experimental range in Europe has been created, where the most advanced technological solutions can be tried out.

During BTDE, participants will focus primarily not on technical specifications, but on the practical effectiveness of the tested equipment. The available solutions will be evaluated by those whose lives depend on their reliability in real combat operations. The equipment will not merely be showcased—its performance will be verified by top professionals, giving both exhibitors and buyers a unique opportunity to demonstrate reliability under operational conditions.

Veterans of special forces units are actively and substantively involved in the project, including Major Arkadiusz Kups – the creator of the Combat 56 close-combat system and the legendary “Selection,” an undisputed authority in training and selecting personnel for special operations – as well as Captain Marek Stan “Włóczykij,” a former commander of combat teams in the GROM Military Unit and an expert in high-risk operations, with in-depth knowledge of the Bieszczady environment.

BTDE organizers emphasize that technological support for the event is provided by Allies Incorporated – a licensed leader in advanced solutions for the defense sector and a member of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) and the Global Special Operations Forces Foundation (GSOF). Allies Incorporated connects the Polish event with the elite global network of tactical expertise.

According to the organizers, the event will be held in a Day & Night format. A closed Operational Zone covering 28 hectares of secured training grounds on a peninsula in the heart of the Bieszczady Mountains will serve as the testing area. For the duration of the event, the Rewita Solina resort will be closed to the public and placed under the full organizational control of the Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo. This will create a unique, secure enclave for exhibitors and delegates, ensuring the safety of the presented technologies and full discretion of the conducted tests.

During the daytime phase, participants will focus on dynamics and mobility. This will include intensive testing of 4×4 vehicles in varied terrain, verification of communication system ranges and resilience, and assessment of the operational performance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) under changing Bieszczady weather conditions. In the nighttime phase, thanks to the near-total absence of light pollution, the area around Lake Solina offers conditions unprecedented in Europe for testing optoelectronics. Night vision and thermal imaging systems will undergo a final test of sensitivity and resolution during advanced tactical simulations.

The schedule of the Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo 2026 has been designed so that every hour at the range provides exhibitors with hard data and participants with real, hands-on experience of the products in their natural environment. The organizers offer specialized recording and post-production of imagery directly from night vision and thermal imaging devices, enabling the acquisition of unique materials documenting the trials, which can serve as a powerful sales argument for optoelectronic systems.

BTDE 2026 will last three days, from October 22 to 24. The first day will be dedicated to logistics and networking. It will be a time for community integration, static presentations, and precise calibration of systems in demanding forest terrain. It will also provide an opportunity to establish initial contacts and prepare technologies for dynamic testing.

Image: Centrum Szkolenia Sytuacyjnego P.S.A

The second day will be the highlight of the event, filled with dynamic demonstrations and culminating in Bieszczady Tactical Night, a multidimensional nighttime operational simulation using cutting-edge technologies, a program dedicated exclusively to VIP delegations, investors, and representatives of the defense sector.

The third day will be devoted to analysis and finalization, including the summary of field test results and the closing of business discussions in the Hospitality zone. Prestigious Tactical Excellence Awards will also be presented.

The BTDE 2026 program has been structured in line with the logic of the military operational cycle, ensuring a smooth transition from theory to contract finalization.

However, the BTDE project goes beyond a traditional trade fair—it is a year-round platform for equipment verification in extreme conditions. The Centrum Szkolenia Sytuacyjnego P.S.A., which organizes the Bieszczady Tactical Dark Expo, is a year-long initiative with its operational base at the AMW Rewita Solina facility.

Thanks to an agreement with the State Forests, we have access to several dozen hectares of post-logging and timber extraction areas used as a testing range located almost adjacent to the resort. The center is intended, and in fact already provides, the opportunity for year-round testing, as well as training and evaluation of military and dual-use technologies that are so much needed today.

This is something new, because until now access to testing ranges has been limited to only the most powerful players in the defense sector. We, on the other hand, offer this opportunity even to those who have excellent equipment and want to break through and showcase it to the world. Combined with testing by former special forces operators, as well as the ability to produce video and photo materials through our Content Studio and the business club we aim to build to facilitate year-round industry contacts – we are fully aware that we are creating something like a new force, a new perspective for the defense and dual-use sector in this part of Europe,

– summarized Maciej Rzesiowski.

More information available at: https://btde.pl/