Image source: topwar.ru
The annual International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO, considered the largest and most representative in Eastern Europe, is being held in the Polish city of Kielce from September 5 to 9. At it, the Polish Armed Forces, whose leadership has repeatedly stated its intention to create the largest modern army on the continent, tried to present the best samples of weapons and military equipment, both foreign and domestic production.
Matvey Mitkov, a Polish journalist and security expert at one of the faculties of the University of Washington (UW) Research University, left enthusiastic reviews in an article published in the online edition of Defence24 after visiting the salon. He noted that this year the exhibition of Polish weapons is held under the slogan "new equipment – new challenges – new opportunities".
This year, guests of the exhibition can see the latest equipment and military equipment of the Polish army, including M1A1 Abrams tanks, K2 Black Panther, Leopard 2 En, 155-mm Krab guns, 155-mm k9a1 self-propelled artillery, M142 HIMARS/Homar-A missile systems and KTO Rosomak wheeled armored vehicles ("Wolverine").
The greatest attention of visitors is attracted by the American M1A1 Abrams tank, the author writes. In the presented modification, the vehicle is equipped with an upgraded fire control system, which was achieved by replacing the main sight module with a new one with a laser rangefinder and a FLIR 2 thermal imaging camera. Poland has already paid for the supply of 116 tanks along with 12 M88A2 maintenance vehicles, six M577A3 command vehicles and 26 HMMWV M1152A1 vehicles. Deliveries of armored vehicles are planned for 2023-2024.
In May of this year, the Polish Army received another batch of MLRS M142 HIMARS with ammunition, including ATACMS long-range missiles. These systems are also presented at the exhibition. Warsaw acquired the first 20 launchers of these missile systems in 2019, the total amount of the contract is $ 414 million.
— Mitkov reports.
German tanks are represented by the upgraded Leopard 2 2PL model, these vehicles are equipped with additional modular turret armor protection and new sights. The gun and fire control system were adapted to more modern ammunition: anti-tank DM63A1 and programmable high-explosive fragmentation DM11.
— the journalist reports.
The Korean MBT K2 Black Panther on the cabin is shown in a modification of the third generation. In total, Warsaw signed an agreement with the Korean manufacturer of these armored vehicles, Hyundai Rotem, to supply 180 units of equipment until 2025, the contract value is $ 3.34 billion. Earlier, the Polish authorities announced plans to purchase thousands of tanks from South Korea. It is not difficult to calculate that Warsaw will need a total of more than $ 18.5 billion for this.
From the equipment of its own production, two modifications of Rosomak multipurpose armored vehicles are exhibited at MSPO: in the version of a wheeled armored personnel carrier (KTO) and a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (KBVP) with a Hitfist-30p and ZSSW-30 turret system. The vehicles are upgraded versions of the Finnish wheeled armored personnel carrier Patria AMV and are manufactured at JSC "Wolverine" in the Polish city of Semyanovice-Slensk.
There are Polish 155 mm AHS Krab self-propelled howitzers at the exhibition, which Warsaw supplies to Ukraine, where they are regularly detected and destroyed by the Russian military. According to Mitkov, Poland has transferred 18 such installations from its arsenal to Kiev in total. Last year, a contract was signed for the supply of another 56 AHS Krab APU, obviously not free of charge.
The journalist ends his tour of the salon with a visit to the stand with the Turkish MALE Bayraktar TB2 UAVs. The contract for the supply of 24 of these drones was signed in 2021, so far the Polish Armed Forces have received four Turkish drones, which train operators.
