Poland Orders 24 ASELSAN ARSUS Systems for Kleszcz Vehicles

Polish armored vehicle manufacturer AMZ-Kutno has signed a contract with Turkish defense company ASELSAN for 24 additional ARSUS reconnaissance and surveillance system sets for the Polish Armed Forces. The agreement was signed at MSPO 2026 in Kielce on September 8, with deliveries scheduled for 2028 and 2029. 

The new systems support Poland’s wider LOTR Kleszcz armored reconnaissance vehicle program, which is replacing legacy BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicles in Polish service. The contract extends cooperation between AMZ-Kutno and ASELSAN that began under the Kleszcz program in 2024. 

ARSUS equips Poland’s new Kleszcz reconnaissance vehicle

The ARSUS 100 combines radar and electro-optical sensors on a stabilized mast to provide reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities from the vehicle. The system supports day and night observation, target detection and identification, automatic tracking and real-time transmission of imagery and other sensor data. 

AMZ-Kutno has integrated the Turkish system onto its Bóbr-3-based LOTR Kleszcz 4x4 armored reconnaissance vehicle. Poland developed Kleszcz to provide reconnaissance units with a modern replacement for BRDM-2 vehicles and their upgraded variants that remain part of the Polish reconnaissance fleet. 

ARSUS gives Kleszcz a mast-mounted sensor package that allows the crew to conduct surveillance while reducing the need to expose the entire vehicle. The combination of radar and electro-optical sensors also provides complementary methods for detecting and tracking objects under different battlefield and weather conditions.

The sensor package is therefore a central element of the Kleszcz mission configuration rather than an independent surveillance system added separately to the Polish inventory.

Poland could acquire up to 286 Kleszcz vehicles

Poland signed a framework agreement for up to 286 LOTR Kleszcz vehicles on February 28, 2024, with deliveries under the overall program extending through 2035. 

The first implementation contract, signed on August 14, 2024, covered 28 vehicles and was valued at approximately PLN 800 million, including logistics and training packages. Those vehicles are entering the delivery phase from 2026. 

A second implementation contract subsequently added 24 Kleszcz vehicles. The number matches the 24 additional ARSUS sets covered by the latest ASELSAN-AMZ-Kutno agreement, linking the Turkish sensor procurement to the expansion of the Polish reconnaissance vehicle fleet. 

ASELSAN and AMZ-Kutno established the sensor component of the program in November 2024, when ASELSAN announced a €16.632 million contract for radar and electro-optical equipment intended for Kleszcz. At the exchange rate reported at the time, the contract was worth approximately PLN 68.29 million. 

The first ARSUS 100 system was subsequently integrated with Kleszcz, with deliveries from that phase continuing through 2026 and 2027. The newly announced 24-system contract extends the delivery schedule into 2028 and 2029. 

ASELSAN expands its position in Poland

The ARSUS agreement also reflects growing Turkish participation in Polish land-force modernization.

ASELSAN has established a local presence in Poland and is pursuing additional programs and industrial partnerships. The company said the latest agreement will support further development of its Polish activities and cooperation with local industry. 

For AMZ-Kutno, the partnership provides an established sensor package for a Polish-designed and manufactured reconnaissance vehicle rather than requiring development of an entirely new surveillance suite.

The arrangement also illustrates a broader pattern in Poland’s modernization programs. Warsaw continues to combine domestic vehicle production with selected foreign sensors, weapons and subsystems while building much larger fleets than those operated by many European NATO members.

In the Kleszcz program, AMZ-Kutno remains responsible for the vehicle platform while ASELSAN supplies a critical part of its reconnaissance architecture.

With a framework covering as many as 286 Kleszcz vehicles through 2035, the program could create further demand for reconnaissance and surveillance systems if Poland exercises additional vehicle orders. The latest contract confirms ARSUS for another 24 systems, but neither company has publicly confirmed that ASELSAN will supply sensor sets for every vehicle potentially acquired under the full 286-vehicle framework.

Questions and answers

What did Poland order from ASELSAN at MSPO 2026?

ASELSAN signed a contract with Polish manufacturer AMZ-Kutno for 24 additional ARSUS reconnaissance and surveillance system sets for the Polish Armed Forces. Deliveries are planned for 2028 and 2029. 

What is the ASELSAN ARSUS system?

ARSUS is a reconnaissance and surveillance system combining radar and electro-optical sensors on a stabilized mast. The ARSUS 100 configuration integrated with Poland’s Kleszcz supports day and night surveillance, detection, identification, target tracking and transmission of sensor information. 

What vehicle will use ARSUS in Poland?

The system is integrated with AMZ-Kutno’s Bóbr-3-based LOTR Kleszcz 4x4 armored reconnaissance vehicle, which Poland is acquiring to replace BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicles and their modernized variants. 

How many Kleszcz reconnaissance vehicles could Poland acquire?

Poland’s February 2024 framework agreement provides for the procurement of up to 286 Kleszcz vehicles, with the overall program running through 2035. The first implementation order covered 28 vehicles, while a subsequent contract added another 24.