02 March 2023

Poland to procure Borsuk IFVs

by Nicholas Fiorenza

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak approved a framework agreement between the Polish Armaments Agency and a consortium of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa companies led by Huta Stalowa Wola for the delivery of 1,400 Borsuk IFVs and specialised variants. (Polish MND)

Poland will procure 1,400 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and specialised variants from a consortium of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa companies led by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) and the Armaments Agency (AA) announced on their websites on 28 February. Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak approved a framework agreement between the AA and the consortium at the HSW headquarters on 28 February for the delivery of the 1,400 vehicles.

The AA said on its website that the specialised variants include Żuk reconnaissance vehicles, Oset command, Gotem medical evacuation, Gekon recovery, and Ares chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear reconnaissance vehicles. The agency estimated the value of the contracts to be awarded under the agreement at several tens of billions of Polish zlotys, with deliveries of the prototypes by mid-2023 and the first-production vehicles in 2024–25.

The Borsuk will replace the Polish army's BWP-1 IFVs. Based on a universal modular tracked platform, the Borsuk is designed to fight infantry, armoured vehicles, and aerial and other targets in all weather conditions 24 hours a day. It is equipped with a ZSSW-30 remotely operated weapon station armed with a Bushmaster automatic cannon able to fire five types of ammunition, including programmable rounds. The Borsuk's armament also includes a UKM-2000 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun and a dual anti-tank guided missile launcher.

Poland will procure 1,400 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and specialised variants from a c...

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