Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1220268
Following the political transformation, the Polish military did not immediately start to look for battalion-level support weapons. How- ever, the Polish defense industry and research facilities began nego- tiation procedures involving foreign entities or initiated conceptual work of their own. The relations with Slovakia resulted in Poland getting interested in the PRAM-S system. Ultimately, however, no collaboration has been launched. Meanwhile, two new towed mor- tars were developed between 1993 and 2004 – 98mm M-98 Rodon and 120mm M-120. Even though the former system ultimately was introduced, the Polish military was at the same time reluctant to pro- cure the latter as it had some prospective solutions in mind already. M-98 has been used by OBRSM (Ośrodek Badawczo Rozwojowy Sprzętu Mechanicznego - R&D Center for Mechanical Equipment) to create a PRAM-S variant, set up on a heightened hull of the tracked SPG-2A platform. Year 2003 was quite important in the process. Back then the Polish military expressed a requirement to introduce self-propelled mortars on wheeled platforms into the structure of the motorized infantry battalions. These units were receiving the new wheeled APCs at the time. The above inspired the beginning of research and development at CPW HSW S.A., a year later. Rosomak APC has been selected as the carrier platform. Nonetheless, a de- cision was also made to create an autonomous turret system with an automatic mortar that could be placed on a myriad of wheeled and tracked platforms. The mortar was to be integrated in a way SELF-PROPELLED MORTAR PART 3 VEHICLES