Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/773724
comparison of initial propositions of the upgrades with Polish tactical and technical requirements. On the basis of acquired information, in October 2012, the MoD announced launching of tender procedures for Leopard 2 tanks upgrade. Initially, it was planned that a prototype of the modernized Leopard 2PL would be delivered by the end of November 2014, while the contract would be completed by the end of November 2019. All in all, initial offers for the upgrade were placed in December 2013 by three consortia: • Polish WZM SA, WZŁ2 SA and German Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH; • Polish PCO SA together with Turkish Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. • Polish ZM Bumar-Łabędy SA, OBRUM, PHO Ltd. and German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co (KMW) Still in 2013, in agreement with Polish representatives of the above consortia, it was decided that the deadline for making the prototype of an upgraded tank will be removed – the deadline for completion of the modernization program, however, was left unchanged. The criteria for final assessment of offers were also changed and a criterion for value of "Polonization" was introduced, i.e. value of materials, resources and components used to modernize Leopard 2A4 and manufactured in Poland. The requirements also specified elements of devices and equipment, which were to be mounted on upgraded tanks. In February 2014, the Armaments Inspectorate of the MoD sent an invitation to the three consortia to submit bids. However, only one reply was submitted in March - the offer of ZM Bumar-Łabędy, OBRUM, PHO and KMW. As a result, the first issue related to tender proceedings occurred. Further problems mainly resulted from the fact that the offer did not meet the criteria: the required level of technology transfer, range of vehicles servicing level or the planned production of components in Poland were not reached. Despite all of that, the MoD continued negotiations with sole source bidder qualified for the next stages of the tender. In December 2014, ZM Bumar-Łabędy submitted the final offer, which was, www.fragoutmag.com