Frag Out! Magazine

During a MSPO 2015 in Kielce, Poland the TUR V vehicle, the latest AMZ-Kutno product was shown. It is a proposition of the armored vehicle which the Polish Army wants to acquire as a part of the PEGAUS (Polish Pegaz) program. At the same time a company applies for orders within VIPER (Żmija) and Mustang vehicle programs, and regardless from this it also conducts, as a leader of a consortium, development works co-financed by the National Centre of Research and Development for a LOTR light armored reconnaissance vehicle (codename: Kleszcz). AMZ-Kutno Ltd., is the Polish company established in 1999, specialized in designing and manufacturing of special purpose vehicle conversions. The supplies for the Polish Army vehicles used, i.a. in the medical, military engineers and contamination neutralizing units. A position in this segment had already been established more than a decade ago, then it extended its offer by patrol armored vehicles. The company also had some export success on the market of military vehicles when in 2005–2008 timeframe it delivered nearly 600 of Dzik-3 (Ain Jaria 1) armored vehicles for Iraq. In the conditions of a growing involvement of the Polish Armed Forces in foreign operations a management of this company strived for extending its offer in this direction what resulted in, among others, programs dedicated to the Tur (2007) and Tur II (2008) light armored vehicles. In 2008 its premiere had also a more heavy-duty platform, called a Żubr. WAITIng for ZUBr A Żubr was indicated as a basic vehicle for a several specialized variants. Among others, it is an artillery reconnaissance vehicle in the Krab self-propelled howitzer and a 120mm Rak self-propelled mortar units, a Soła relocatable radar (a company has already manufactured eight ordered pieces according to a schedule of the carriers and trailers for the Soła radars, handing vehicles for a final integration to the PIT-Radwar S.A.) or a Poprad mobile anti-aircraft missile launcher (its final supplier is PIT-Radwar S.A.)., too). The Żubr vehicle can be also used as a carrier of the variously configured mobile command and control vehicles, and additionally as a heavy-duty personal and off-road, as well as patrol vehicle. Despite such possibilities a number of the Żubrs directed to the service is small what results from long-term delays in certain of the mentioned programs. Currently, with regard to a positive end of the supplementary delivery and acceptance activities of the Żubrs in the variation of the GROM missile launcher, what took place already in autumn 2014, concluding a contract for the Poprades is awaited in this year. In this situation, supplies could start in the second half of 2016 because AMZ- Kutno may begin delivering Żubr with a lead time of 6-8 months from placing an order. It should be also recalled that it is about even 79 Poprad sets with supplies up to 2021. www.fragoutmag.com

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