02 November 2022

Aero airdrop-capable vehicle deliveries to Polish 6th Airborne Brigade completed

by Nicholas Fiorenza

Deliveries of the Aero 4×4 PWA lightweight all-terrain airborne vehicle (pictured at MSPO 2022) to the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade were completed on 31 October. (Janes/Christopher Petrov)

Deliveries of the Aero 4×4 Pojazdy Wojsk Aeromobilnych (PWA) lightweight all-terrain airborne vehicle to the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade were completed on 31 October, the Ministry of National Defence's Armaments Agency (AA) announced on its website the next day.

A total of 80 PWAs and 120 Aero TR trailers were delivered in 2019–22 under a PLN50 million (USD10.5 million) contract signed in December 2018 by Poland's Finance Ministry and the then Armaments Inspectorate and a consortium led by Kafar Bartłomiej Sztukiert and including Hibneryt, Auto-Podlasie, Auto Special, and Sobiesław Zasada Warszawa. The contract included a logistics package and specialist training.

The AA said that the vehicles were delivered on time, in compliance with quality requirements, and with additional functionalities, despite disruption in supply chains resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine.

The Aero and its trailer are designed to transport equipment and supplies or to tow artillery systems not weighing more than 1,000 kg, as well as for casualty evacuation. Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser J70 chassis, the vehicle can be carried as an underslung load by helicopter and be airdropped by C-130 or C295M transport aircraft using the PDS ‘V' 108” 12 ft platform.

The first combat drop of the Aero was conducted in June 2020 during Exercise ‘Defender Europe' 2020 at the Drawsko Pomorskie training ground in Poland.

Deliveries of the Aero 4×4 Pojazdy Wojsk Aeromobilnych (PWA) lightweight all-terrain airborne vehicl...

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