Frag Out! Magazine

The close to PLN 103 miLLioN price tag of the new plant was paid from three sources: 72 mn came from the Industrial Develop- ment Agency, 20 mn from the Polish Armaments Group and 10.7 mn from the FB herself. The old premises, a whopping huge piece of real estate in central Radom, would be sold by the IDA to compensate the cost. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by the state officials of the highest order (Madame Speaker of the Parliament, who hap- pens to be a local MP) as well as local officials, assorted military brass and other uniformed services. We were able to tour the facilities, and must confess, that it is indeed impressive. It is light years away from the crumbling, moldy old plant, which gave a ready setting for a industrial dispute movie set in late 19 th /early 20 th Century. Now it's none worse than the HK plant in Oberndorf, and slightly ahead of the CZ Uhersky Brod facilities. The machinery has been refreshed, rows of white cubes replacing most of the older machine banks, but it's the testing equipment that is nothing short of breathtaking, especially the shooting ranges (that we have already used for testing the MSBS rifle – see other article in this Frag Out!), including the technological shooting ranges with functional and service life testing facility using a large water tank for bullet stop. That's a truly modern facility and Radom can be rightfully boastful of it – and not even only in Europe. The opening was not all about speeches and ribbon-cutting. As Radom is also home of the PoLish Air Force AerobAtic DisPLAy teAm, the orLik turbo-props team paid a short, if neck-breaking visit, as hors d'oeuvres before the main event: two dynamic displays combining ground and air operations. The first of the two was staged by the Military Technology University (WAT) Tactical Display Team riding in on a Rosomak IFV and using MSBS rifles in both configurations. The other was a real tour de force by the Radom District Police SWAT Team, deploying a ground element in hot pursuit of the 'bank robbers' who fanned out into the woods and were located, then engaged by an airmobile group inserted by a fast rope from a Mi-8 Hip transport helicopter, to be extracted by a long line for a grand finale. www.fragoutmag.com

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