Poland Confirms Acquisition of Baobab-G Mine-Laying Tracked Vehicles After Lessons From Ukraine War.

Poland’s Ministry of Defense has signed a €240 million contract with Huta Stalowa Wola for the production of Baobab-G tracked automated mine-laying vehicles, with deliveries planned by 2029. The acquisition reflects hard lessons from the Russia-Ukraine War, where extensive minefields have proven decisive in slowing armored advances and shaping the battlefield.

Poland is strengthening its battlefield engineering and terrain-denial capabilities after signing a strategic €240 million agreement with the domestic manufacturer Huta Stalowa Wola to produce Baobab-G tracked automated mine-laying vehicles. According to information published by Polish news channel TVP World in late December 2025, the contract targets a 2029 delivery timeline and is closely informed by operational lessons from the Russia-Ukraine War, where dense, rapidly deployed minefields have played a critical role in defensive operations.
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A Polish Army Baobab-K wheeled mine-laying vehicle during field trials, showcasing its 8x8 Jelcz chassis and automated mine dispensers. Inset: Conceptual line drawing of the tracked Baobab-G variant based on the Krab howitzer chassis, highlighting the system’s enhanced off-road mobility and armored profile. (Picture source: HSW)

The Baobab-G, a tracked variant of Poland’s indigenous Baobab-K truck-mounted mine-laying system, will be mounted on a platform derived from the chassis of the Krab 155mm self-propelled howitzer. This design choice ensures the system inherits the Krab's proven off-road performance and combat durability while introducing a new dimension of battlefield utility: the ability to rapidly and autonomously deploy minefields in operationally complex environments.

The procurement underscores Poland’s resolve to phase out its aging Soviet-era mine-laying systems, such as the Kroton, a Cold War-era platform based on the MT-LB tracked carrier. While Kroton remains nominally in service, its limited automation and analog controls no longer meet the demands of modern networked warfare. Baobab-G’s arrival will decisively shift Poland’s engineering and defensive doctrine toward digital, GPS-integrated systems capable of both autonomous and command-linked operations.

The deal comes on the heels of a separate 2023 contract under which Poland ordered 24 wheeled Baobab-K vehicles for delivery between 2026 and 2028. Both systems represent a two-pronged approach: the Baobab-K provides high-speed road mobility, ideal for rear-area defense and rapid deployment, while the Baobab-G will enable tracked mobility across Poland’s varied terrain, including wetlands, forests, and off-road operational corridors critical to NATO’s eastern defensive lines.

Technical documentation obtained by Army Recognition reveals that the Baobab-K system features six automated mine launchers, each loaded with up to 100 anti-tank mines, for a total of 600 mines per vehicle. It supports automated and manual deployment modes, with minefield lengths up to 1,800 meters and laying speeds of 3-20 km/h. Reloading a full set of mines takes under 30 minutes, and a two-person crew manages operations via an onboard digital control station linked to battlefield command networks. Minefield coordinates and parameters are automatically recorded and transmitted in real time.

The Baobab-K is also equipped with a robust suite of battlefield electronics, including an onboard computer, GPS, odometer, digital map terminal, VHF radio, and eight 81mm smoke grenade launchers for vehicle concealment. A HIAB hydraulic lifting device allows for cassette replacement in the field, increasing the system’s operational tempo. The vehicle, based on an 8x8 Jelcz high-mobility chassis, boasts a range of 650 km on paved roads and a maximum speed of 85 km/h, with terrain-negotiation capabilities including 36° approach angles and a 1.2-meter fording depth.

While the Baobab-K is designed for high-speed deployment along roadways and on accessible terrain, the Baobab-G’s tracked chassis provides deep operational flexibility in forested and soft-ground areas where wheeled platforms risk immobilization. Polish defense officials anticipate that this dual capability will significantly enhance the Army’s ability to shape terrain during both defensive and offensive operations.

The urgency behind this procurement stems from hard-fought battlefield experience. The war in Ukraine has illustrated with brutal clarity how strategically emplaced minefields can stall, reroute, and attrit armored thrusts. Ukrainian forces have used scattered mines to inflict severe logistical and tactical disruptions on Russian mechanized columns. Polish military planners have studied these developments closely, drawing clear operational lessons on the need for fast, flexible, and digitally integrated mine warfare capabilities.

Experts contacted by Army Recognition described the Baobab-G contract as a “defensive force multiplier,” one that gives Polish commanders the means not only to deny territory but also to actively shape the battlefield against superior mechanized forces. “This is about more than just defense,” said a senior Polish military official speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s about controlling the tempo of a fight. The ability to rapidly mine an axis of advance can buy critical time, create kill zones, and force an adversary into your prepared fires.”

In operational doctrine, the Baobab systems are not intended to serve as passive barriers but as dynamic tools for maneuver warfare—used to cover withdrawals, seal off breakthroughs, or even delay enemy logistics behind the front. When integrated with Polish artillery, drones, and reconnaissance units, minefields become not just obstacles, but traps.

The selection of Huta Stalowa Wola, a subsidiary of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), also reflects Poland’s strategic decision to deepen domestic defense manufacturing. Beyond economic and industrial benefits, local production ensures resilience and independence in wartime, when foreign deliveries may be compromised.

As of 2026, the Polish Army remains one of the few NATO forces actively investing in large-scale automated minelaying capabilities. This positions Poland not only as a frontline defense bulwark, but as a potential doctrinal leader in integrating terrain denial systems into modern combined arms operations. The upcoming introduction of Baobab-G alongside the Baobab-K represents a paradigm shift in how European armies may approach mobility warfare in the years ahead.

While main battle tanks and long-range artillery may dominate headlines, systems like Baobab-G could quietly become the tactical backbone of Poland’s land defense strategy. In the next conflict, it may not be firepower alone that defines success—but the ability to control where and how a battle is fought.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years of experience in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis of military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.