Polish firms bolster Ukrainian defence with BTR‑70 upgrades
The Polish company MISTA from Stalowa Wola has refurbished over 150 BTR-70 transporters. It is unknown where they originate from, but the end user will most likely be the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Here, we present their characteristics and the changes that have been made to them.
The Polish company MISTA from Stalowa Wola, known for producing and supplying armoured vehicles to Ukraine, such as the Oncilla (an improved version of the Ukrainian Dozor-B), has renovated and modernised over 150 BTR-70 armoured transporters.
Unfortunately, the source of these transporters is unknown. However, it is likely that they came from Hungary and/or Romania, which are replacing Soviet-era equipment with NATO gear. These countries still have several hundred transporters of this type in their inventory, including licensed versions like the TAB-77.
The Polish modernisation aimed to bring the base versions to a standard similar to the Ukrainian BTR-70DI modernisation. This included replacing the petrol engine and gearbox with a more powerful diesel engine, adding a thermal imaging sight, and installing drone jammers at the factory level. Additionally, the side door armour was reinforced.
BTR-70 - an old transporter that is still useful
Although the BTR-70 armoured transporter is a design from the 1970s, its steel armour, up to 9 mm thick provides protection against artillery shrapnel and handheld firearms using standard ammunition, which is not something improvisations or civilian vehicles can offer.
Currently, for Ukraine, every armoured vehicle is very valuable, and the ability to move in an eight-wheeled armoured transporter with a more powerful, factory-installed drone jammer is significantly safer in the frontline zone.
Moreover, modifications like the diesel engine enable fuel unification with other vehicles, and a thermal imaging sight makes it easier to spot opponents earlier. The BTR crew consists of three members, and it can carry up to seven soldiers.
It's worth noting that the armament is not very strong, as it consists only of a heavy machine gun KPV with a calibre of 14.5x114 mm or DShK with a calibre of 12.7x108 mm along with a PKT 7.62x54R mm. However, it is sufficient for self-defence for this "frontline taxi."
