The BSDA 2026 defense industry exhibition (Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security) is taking place in Bucharest on May 13–15 this year. Białystok-based STEKOP presented the Bluszcz unmanned-manned scatterable mine-laying system, developed jointly with Bydgoskie Zakłady Elektromechaniczne Belma, part of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, and the Military Institute of Armored and Automotive Technology (WITPiS) from Sulejówek.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
Bluszcz premiered during last year’s 33rd International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2025 at Targi Kielce. This year, it was presented to soldiers of the 1st Engineer Regiment from Brzeg and during open trials of unmanned weapon systems at the Military Institute of Armament Technology training ground in Zielonka.
It is a modern solution designed for the rapid and precise creation of minefields. An innovative feature of the system is the option of interchangeable manual or remote operation of the vehicle by an operator, depending on the threat level. The vehicle has a central control system that enables unmanned operation, with elements of autonomy allowing the route to be programmed.
The core element of the system is a barrel package integrated with the chassis, comprising 20 replaceable cassettes, each loaded with five MN-123 anti-tank mines. The system lays mines across a strip from 30 to 90 meters wide. Both the scope and density of mine-laying are programmable. The scatterable mines, with a diameter of 180 mm and a height of 90 mm, weigh 3.7 kg. They can be equipped with EFP shaped charges and are capable of penetrating armor 60 mm thick. Detonation can be initiated by a magnetic, delayed, or instantaneous fuze. Before being dispensed, the mine can be programmed to explode at the desired moment: after a specified time from fuze activation or after a specific number of vehicles have passed over it. In accordance with international convention requirements, MN-123 mines are neutralized after a specified period. Neutralization is carried out either by detonation or by blocking the possibility of detonating the explosive charge.
TAERO
The Bluszcz is based on the manned-unmanned TAERO vehicle, which itself premiered during the 30th MSPO in 2022. It was developed on the basis of the manned AERO Airmobile Forces Vehicle (PWA), which entered service with the 6th Airborne Brigade.
It was adapted to conduct missions in unmanned mode using the Central Vehicle Control System (CSSP), developed by STEKOP based on many years of experience in building unmanned ground platforms related to the TARVOS line and the Perun autonomous wheeled combat-reconnaissance vehicle project. This work was carried out in cooperation with Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZMT) and the Military University of Technology (WAT), with co-financing from the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) under the State Defence and Security Research Program titled “Future Technologies for Defence – Young Scientists Competition.”
During the design of TAERO, opinions and comments were gathered from paratroopers of the 6th Airborne Brigade. The result is a vehicle that combines the advantages of manned and unmanned platforms while retaining the ability to be airdropped by parachute.
The TAERO vehicle has been approved for operation on public roads and off-road in manned mode, with a driver. Depending on the situation and threat level, the vehicle can be reconfigured into unmanned mode in a short time. In unmanned mode, it offers the ability to drive under remote operator control, replay a route recorded during manned or remotely controlled driving, conduct autonomous driving along a route designated by the operator, operate in follow-me mode behind a soldier as a “mule on wheels” or behind another vehicle, shuttle between designated points, operate as the lead element in a marching column, drive in tandem with an armored vehicle serving as a mobile control station, conduct reconnaissance and observation tasks using additional equipment such as an observation head, or carry out missions using electric propulsion, thanks to its reduced thermal signature.
The vehicle is equipped with a dual-drive system: a main diesel engine producing 96 kW, or 130 hp, and an auxiliary electric motor producing 50 kW. The former provides a range of up to 400 km, while the latter provides up to 30 km on paved roads. Maximum speed is 100 km/h, although for safety reasons the manufacturers recommend driving at up to 50 km/h. The vehicle’s curb weight is 2,800 kg, and its payload is a further 1,000 kg. TAERO is 3.6 m long, 2.1 m wide, and 2.1 m high, excluding mirrors and antennas.
TAERO is equipped with the aforementioned CSSP, based on an operating unit with the necessary IT infrastructure; a dual-antenna satellite navigation system (GNSS GPS) supported by an inertial measurement unit (IMU); environmental monitoring sensors, including a thermal imaging camera with a resolution of 640×480 px, a 1920×1080 px daytime camera, and 2-megapixel all-around cameras; as well as mechatronic solutions that work with the platform’s factory mechanisms. The system is equipped with a security module that authorizes access to vehicle management and its resources.
Wireless communications are provided by a set of high-data-rate radio modems, enabling the transmission of control signals and video with minimal latency. Its range is 5 km in open terrain, with AES-256 encryption, and can be increased to 15–20 km using retransmission points.
TAERO features all-wheel drive, rigid axles, differential locks, and off-road tires fitted with run-flat inserts. It has been adapted for parachute airdrop, transport aboard ships, by road and rail, on a sling under a helicopter, as well as for carrying cargo on a loading platform with self-loading capability and towing trailers or mine rollers.
Its modular architecture and cargo space, together with a high-power onboard electrical power source of 30 kW, enable expansion and integration with additional modules, such as an observation head, weapon systems, or threat-detection systems. As a result, TAERO can be configured as an engineer-sapper or chemical reconnaissance vehicle, a logistics or medical evacuation vehicle, a carrier for reconnaissance systems, remotely controlled weapon stations, remotely controlled anti-tank missile launchers, loitering munitions, counter-UAV systems, decoy launchers, or passive target-location systems using observation heads from other vehicles.