Every year at the beginning of September, manufacturers of defence and security equipment from all over the world present themselves in the Polish city of Kielce, where the MSPO trade fair is held regularly. The fair ranks among the largest of its kind in the whole of Europe, and no important producer can be absent from it. Companies of the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) holding, and Tatra Trucks have also exhibited at MSPO for many years. During this year's 31st edition, which will take place from 5 to 8 September, in addition to Tatra, there will also be Tatra Defence Vehicle, Excalibur Army, Retia, Česká letecká servisní, MSM Group and Excalibur International. The companies will present their products and services in Hall D at joint stand No. 75 and also on outdoor exhibition areas.

Tatra trucks are well known in Poland and many of them are also used in the Polish armed forces. Tatra is aware of the importance of the Polish market, which is why the company has presented a number of vehicles at the MSPO fair in the past, for example Tatra Tactic 6x6 of the second generation, the Tatra Phoenix 8x8 with an armored cab developed and manufactured by the Tatra Defense Vehicle company or various versions of the Tatra Force model line. This year, Tatra Trucks will exhibit one of the representatives of this proven model line, namely the Tatra Force 8x8 heavy logistics truck in flatbed design. The vehicle is built on a proven Tatra chassis, it is powered by a liquid-cooled six-cylinder Cummins engine, which is widely used worldwide.

Picture: Tatra Force 8x8 heavy logistics truck in flatbed design | Tatra Trucks

There will also be representatives of the Tatra Defence Vehicle company at the fair, who will introduce customers to the production capabilities of this manufacturer of land military equipment. Tatra Defence Vehicle specializes in the development and production of armored wheeled vehicles, the main production pillars today are Pandur II 8x8 and TITUS 6x6 vehicles. The company further develops and manufactures various versions of armored cabins for Tatra vehicles, armored and special superstructures, but also offers service for wheeled military vehicles, Tatra military trucks or off-road vehicles on Toyota chassis.

Excalibur Army will bring the modern Treva-30 recovery and evacuation vehicle to MSPO 2023, which will be on display alongside the Tatra Force 8x8 in the outdoor exhibit. The Treva-30 vehicle is intended for extrication of stuck equipment and other objects, handling them, moving damaged equipment, evacuation and rescue work, crane work, engineering terrain modification and removal of obstacles for the needs of extrication and rescue. It is built on a Tatra Force 8x8 chassis, powered by an air-cooled Tatra V12 engine, and can be used in the armed forces and in civil defence, by rescuers, firefighters and special services. In addition, the Treva-30 has an armored four-door Puma cabin developed by the Excalibur Army, which can accommodate the crew of the evacuating vehicle in addition to its own operators.

Picture: Excalibur Army will bring the modern Treva-30 recovery and evacuation vehicle to MSPO 2023 | Excalibur Army

Another exhibit that will be the main attraction of the stand of the CSG holding companies in hall D is the MR-2 Viktor light combat vehicle on a Toyota Land Cruiser chassis designed for protection against unmanned aerial vehicles and low-flying air targets. The vehicle is equipped with two powerful 14.5 mm heavy machine guns and a sophisticated targeting system as well as modern communication equipment. In cooperation with the Czech government and other partners, Excalibur Army has already delivered dozens of these anti-drone systems to the Ukrainian armed forces as part of the aid programs for Ukraine.

Picture: MR-2 Viktor light combat vehicle on a Toyota Land Cruiser chassis designed for protection against unmanned aerial vehicles and low-flying air targets | Excalibur Army

The CSG Aerospace division will be represented by the companies Retia and Česká letecká servisní. Retia will demonstrate a model of its multi-purpose 3D radar ReGuard for detecting and tracking land and low-flying targets. It is a very compact radar, which, thanks to its technical parameters, is ideal for systems of protection against unmanned vehicles at long distances. Therefore, it is also the basis of the new ReCas anti-drone system, which Retia has developed and is already offering to customers.

Picture: Multi-purpose 3D radar ReGuard for detecting and tracking land and low-flying target (on the left) and ReCas anti-drone system | CSG

The ReCas system can also include the ReGun manual directional jammer, which will also be on display at the CSG stand. The ReGun jammer is an anti-drone effector that acts on radio frequency receivers, thereby limiting communication, or in general the transmission of control signals, telemetry and possibly video link of drones, and also disrupts satellite navigation receivers. Retia will also exhibit the commercially successful small portable radar ReTwis 5 with the ability to detect live targets behind walls or other non-metallic obstacles. Representatives of Česká letecká servisní will then present the projects and services that the company is working on and currently offers, including modernization of avionics systems and aircraft.

Picture: Small portable radar ReTwis 5 with the ability to detect live targets behind walls or other non-metallic obstacles | CSG

Another exhibitor at the CSG stand will be the MSM Group, which includes several manufacturers of modern medium-caliber and large-caliber ammunition. ZVS is a traditional Slovak company that has been specializing in artillery and tank ammunition for decades. He will bring to Kielce a sample of artillery ammunition in the standard caliber of 155 mm NATO and also in caliber 122 mm, as well as tank ammunition of caliber 125 mm or various types of igniters and components for these types of ammunition. Another Slovak company, VOP Nováky, will show the entire range of training artillery and tank ammunition in calibers 155 mm, 152 mm, 125 mm and 122 mm or mortar ammunition in calibers 60 mm, 81 mm, 98 mm or 120 mm at MSPO. Pyrotechnic components and lighters will not be missing from VOP Nováky production.

Picture: Another exhibitor at the CSG stand will be the MSM Group, which includes several manufacturers of modern medium-caliber and large-caliber ammunition. | CSG

MSM Group also includes the Spanish company Fábrica de Municiones Granada. The company will present to the visitors of the exhibition centre in Kielce 120 mm and 105 mm tank ammunition, which is standard for all modern NATO battle tanks, as well as 105 mm NATO artillery ammunition. In addition, the Spanish company will also exhibit pyrotechnic equipment. MSM Group also includes the company Vývoj Martin, which specializes in armored land systems and vehicles, containers, and special equipment. In the outdoor exhibition, a multi-purpose command container and also a mobile airport control tower Disk-2 will be on display from its portfolio. It can provide full-scale operations at standard and field airports in demanding conditions without the need for normal infrastructure.

Excalibur International company will also present its services and projects to visitors at the stand. It acts as an integrator of complex projects of CSG holding companies and also represents them commercially in a number of regions around the world. Excalibur International focuses primarily on large international projects, the delivery of complex turnkey solutions, the provision of logistics and the financing of projects in the field of defence and civil industry.

The importance of the MSPO trade fair in Kielce not only for Europe is illustrated by the prestigious names of the exhibitors as well as facts: during last year's 30th jubilee edition, 614 exhibitors from 33 countries of the world presented themselves to the professional public and visitors on an area of almost 30,000 m2, in addition to domestic Polish producers, there were producers from USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Czechia, Turkey, but also Australia, Israel, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Qatar or Pakistan, etc. CSG holding companies consider the MSPO fair to be the most important in Europe, next to the Eurosatory, which is evidenced, for example, by the fact that in the past they presented some of their products here in European premieres (most recently, for example, the DITA 155 mm self-propelled howitzer), but also the award for CSG for the best stand design of all exhibitors in 2021.