TSAMTO, March 1. On February 28, the Arms Agency of the Polish Ministry of Defense and a consortium of companies consisting of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA and Huta Stalowa Wola SA signed a framework agreement for the supply of the Polish Armed Forces with BORSUK BMP.
According to Huta Stalowa Wola SA, the agreement also provides for the supply of special armored vehicle variants to the Polish Armed Forces based on the universal modular tracked platform UMPG.
The event was held in the presence of Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak.
The agreement defines the conditions for concluding executive contracts related to the supply of infantry fighting vehicles and specialized vehicles based on UMPG. In total, it is planned to purchase 1,400 BORSUK armored vehicles and other specialized vehicles, including reconnaissance vehicles, command vehicles, ambulances, technical assistance vehicles and RCB-reconnaissance vehicles.
The BORSUK BMP is being developed in accordance with a contract worth 62 million zlotys signed in October 2014 by the National Center for Research and Development (NCBR - Narodowe Centrum Badan i Rozwoju) with a consortium of 10 Polish companies, the leader of which is Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. The companies Wojskowe Zaklady Motoryzacyjne S.A., Wojskowe Zaklady Inzynieryjne also participate in the development S.A., Osrodek Badawczo Rozwojowy Urzadzen Mechanicznych OBRUM S.A., WITPiS, Wojskowe Zaklady Elektroniczne S.A., ASW, Rosomak S.A, Polish National Defense Academy, Military Technical Academy (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna), Military Institute of Armored and Automotive Technology and Warsaw Polytechnic University (Politechnika Warszawska). The developers have invested 13 million zlotys of their own funds in the project. The Huta Stalowa Wola company demonstrated the first prototype of an IFV in September 2017 at the MSPO-2017 defense exhibition in Kielce.
At the end of April 2022, in order to accelerate the development and testing under the BORSUK program, a contract was signed for the supply of four additional prototypes that will be used for in-service inspections. Their results will be used to refine the configuration of the BMP and improve the product in subsequent production batches. Two prototypes were ordered earlier.
The BORSUK BMP is a variant of the universal modular tracked platform (UMPG) equipped with a remotely controlled turret-type armament module ZSSW-30. The crew of the car is 3 people: the commander, the weapons operator and the driver. The vehicle is designed to transport 6 landing troops to the combat area with the provision of an appropriate level of protection, as well as performing tasks related to supporting the actions of units using airborne weapons.
Using the onboard weapons system, the BMP will be able to fight infantry, armored vehicles, air targets and other enemy objects in difficult weather conditions and at any time of the day. The BMP will also be able to effectively interact with units equipped with the K2 MBT family, which will be adopted, including the 16th Mechanized Division.
The combat weight of BORSUK in the basic version is 28 tons. The machine is characterized by high mobility, the ability to overcome ground obstacles, including water swimming, and can also be operated in various climatic conditions. The power of the Rolls-Royce V8 MTU 8V199 diesel engine is 720 hp. The maximum speed on paved roads is 65 km/h, afloat – 8 km/ h.
Developed by Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. together with WB Electronics S.A., the ZSSW-30 DUMV is equipped with an automatic Bushmaster Mk.44S cannon, which allows firing in automatic and semi-automatic modes using five types of ammunition, including programmable. A modified 7.62 mm UKM-2000C machine gun paired with a cannon can be used as an auxiliary weapon. The module is also armed with a Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile launcher (the PU is designed for 2 ATGMs). Work is underway to integrate other ATGMs.
