Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1281650
Back in 2006 steps were made to prepare four standard vehicles for deployment to Lebanon. Ultimately the deployment did not happen due to the intense preparations concerning the Afghan involvement of the Polish military. The process began in Sep- tember 2006. 6 months later, 24 modified Rosomak M1 vehicles were deployed to Afghanistan. At the same time, the Polish involvement in Chad began in 2008 and 16 Rosomaks, including 8 in the IFV variant, were sent there. During the same year, the Afghan deployment was also significantly extended, receiving 47 vehicles. A year later the quantity went up to 76, to reach the level of 89 vehicles in 2010. As a result of intense combat opera- tions, a decision was made to deploy 150 Rosomak vehicles. Ho- wever, this number was never achieved and the maximum quan- tity was set at the level of 134 vehicles. If the vehicles stationed in Afghanistan on a rotational basis are a part of the equation, 181 Rosomaks were sent there, constituting 1/3 of the total qu- antity manufactured in 2004-2014. The Polish vehicles stood up to the difficult challenges of the Afghan battlefields. 14 vehicles have been lost irrecoverably (6 Rosomak M-3 and 8 Rosomak M-1M) due the IED explosions. However, the irrecoverable loss determiner applied to more ve- hicles. It is said that 20-30 vehicles have been damaged beyond repair. The recovered losses also occurred, with the damaged vehicles returning to service thanks to the technicians and the Rosomak S.A. employees, also those sent to Afghanistan. The Rosomak platform was being praised by the soldiers - first, because of the 30 mm Bushmaster cannon coupled with a thermal imaging system and the firepower that it offered, and second, due to the protection that the vehic- les provided. The vehicles were being attacked with all of the weapons available in the arsenal of the Taliban forces - 12.7 mm DShK and 14.5 mm KPW machine guns, RPG-7's, and IEDs. Only the latter, sometimes huge IEDs could inflict serious damage, also cre- ating irrecoverable losses. The manufacturer's tech support maintained a high level of availa- bility. The aforesaid fire control system, tur- ret motors, or situational awa- reness deficiencies also emerged. However, the- se issues did not chan- ge the love the soldiers had for the Rosomak Deployment Superstar www.fragoutmag.com