Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1281650
te of the Polish MoD and the consortium formed by WB Electro- nics and HSW S.A. ZM Bumar-Łabędy's proposal to "poloniza- tion" the Hitfist-OSW turret has been rejected - the final result would be similar to the scenario we could have witnessed in case of the Hitfist-30P system. It was also decided not to conti- nue the joint Hitfist-30P-2 program pursued by WZM S.A. and OTO Melara. It came to an abrupt end in 2015. Another impor- tant decision was also made in 2013. An agreement has been signed by and between Patria and WZM S.A., on continued ma- nufacturing of the Rosomak platform in Poland (until 2023) and continued maintenance (until 2052). This made it possible to conclude the second Rosomak agreement between WZM and the Armament Inspectorate. The agreement concerns the deli- very of 307 vehicles until 2019, with a price tag of PLN 1.65 bn. Unfortunately, as the ZSSW-30 development process was drag- ging on, the agreement had to be renegotiated - in 2018 (down to 300 examples) and 2019 (down to 298 examples). Ultimately the base platforms have been already delivered, and they are soon going to be modified to carry the specialist equipment or the Rak 120 mm mortar system. 65 platforms were delivered in 2014, 45 platforms in 2015, 25 APCs in 2015, 46 examples in 2017, 38 examples in 2018, and 43 final examples in 2019. At the same time, in 2014 another breakthrough occurred, with agreements being signed concerning the development works on two specia- list variants: Rosomak-WRT (tech-reconnaissance vehicle), Ro- somak-WPT (ARV) and CKPEiRT Hardun program was launched (Heavy Wheeled Vehicles for Recovery and Engineering Rescue). We had to wait for decisions until 2014 when agreements were signed with regards to the development and deliveries of Roso- mak-RSK (Contamination Detection Vehicle) and Rosomak-WPT (Technical Support Vehicle). The contract concerning the Roso- mak WD C2 platform was signed in 2018. Therefore, a little bit after a decade has passed, the military started to work towards the acquisition of the specialist variants. Without them, the bri- gades using the Rosomak platform lacked completeness signi- ficantly. At the same time, the structure of the wheeled brigades became clear. Each of the battalions was to include 88 different Roso- mak vehicles, including 58 in the KBWP [wheeled IFV] variant. Unfortunately, up until now, only the 17th „Wielkopolska" Me- chanized Brigade has been fully rearmed (leaving the lack of several specialist versions aside). Ultimately the unit would re- ceive 320 Rosomak vehicles. Looking back at the 17 years that have gone by since the conc- lusion of the agreement between WZM and the Polish MoD, one could conclude that the Rosomak program ended up in a suc- cess, both for the industry, as well as for the soldiers on the battlefield. The successful deployment of the vehicles is not a matter that requires a lot of discussion. Rosomak APCs/IFVs have turned out to be a perfect deployment asset with high fire- power, offering good protection and reliability as well. However, there are two sides to the industrial success of the program. On one hand, the polonization (93%!) has been successful, giving What the future may bring? VEHICLES