Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1281650
the MoD. Rosomak-WRT (Wóz Rozpoznania Technicznego - En- gineering Reconnaissance Vehicle), Rosomak-WPT (Wóz Pomo- cy Technicznej - Armoured Recovery Vehicle), Rosomak-RSK (Wóz Rozpoznania Skażeń - Contamination Reconnaissance Ve- hicle), Rosomak WD (C2 Vehicle), integration of the Hitfist-30 turret with the Spike ATGM, Rosomak R-1 and R2 (recce vehicles with the Hitfist-30P turret), or even the acquisition of the heavy HARDUN wheeled ARVs - all those projects have been left to themselves by the military, up until 2014. A decade has been wasted. And nobody cared about the ridiculous situation in which three APC brigades were being created, without any spe- cialist variants available, as the end-users have not demanded those. Rosomak wheeled APCs have become a part of the new structure of the mechanized battalions, with the surrounding environment of the BMP-1 era. The aforesaid issue was somewhat incoherent when placed on the background of the industrial effort aimed at „polonization". Undisputed was the success of the Rosomak S.A. The level of "polonization", in 2013, exceeded 93%, when it came to domestic production of the primary components and assemblies, concer- ning the platform value. Only 7% of the components were im- ported. The situation at Bumar was worse. Attempts were being made to assign turret manufacturing to that entity. Apart from the transfer of Hitfist-30P welding technology, no significant tech transfer has been achieved. 85% of the turret was still be- ing imported. Furthermore, the Americans have stopped the plan to manufacture the Bushmaster gun in Poland dead in its tracks. Lifecycle cost for turrets and hulls also became visible. The hulls, despite the 93% of "polonization" and being a primary component that is used constantly, had maintenance and spa- res' costs at a national level. This could not have been said about the turrets, with horrendous, for the MoD, maintenance costs. This has been especially painful when it came to the cost. Third- -party agreements artificially increased cost by 300% and 200%, as opposed to the manufacturer cost (Italy and USA). As a result, a Gordian knot was created around the Rosomak program. This was a weird, contrasting element, placed on the background of the Afghan deployments and the successful car- rier polonization at Rosomak S.A. The military has received 359 Hitfist-30P turrets by the 2013 - and this is the number of wheeled IFVs delivered, among the 570 APCs delivered in total. One should remember, however, that the order has also been subjected to cuts back in 2008, due to the omnipresent financial crisis. In the meantime, the compla- ints about the Italian involvement and General Skrzypczak's unparalleled drive resulted in the development of a domestic unmanned turret design - the ZSSW-30. The relevant agreement has been concluded by and between the Armament Inspectora- 2014-2020. Finally - Issues Rectified www.fragoutmag.com