Industry
Polish Armed Forces Procure Artillery at HSW
Polish Ministry of Defence is willing to procure further Krab self-propelled howitzers, Rak self-propelled mortars, and ZSSW-30 unmanned turret systems at HSW, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, Deputy Head of the Polish Ministry of Defence announced, responding to a parliamentary question. Moreover, agreements are expected to be signed, regarding the Borsuk IFV and Ottokar-Brzoza tank busters.
The official website of the Polish Parliament now includes a response issued by the MoD's Secretary of State Wojciech Skurkiewicz, regarding a parliamentary question submitted by MP Krystyna Skowrońska, regarding the implementation of the defence procurement processes involving HSW S.A.
The response includes several relevant pieces of information. First, as a result of military aid being provided to Ukraine, through the delivery of Krab howitzers to Poland's eastern neighbour, the timeline for delivery of another 5 batteries to the Polish Armed Forces has been shifted - the relevant batteries have been contracted, but the deliveries have been shifted to 2025-2027.
Interestingly, Skurkiewicz also announced that further Krab self-propelled howitzers and Rak self-propelled mortars would be procured in the coming years. This is a good sign for those programmes, that all remain highly important both for the defence industry, as well as the Polish Armed Forces.
HSW is currently involved in manufacturing and delivering the ZSSW-30 systems for the Rosomak APC. Further procurement is planned to happen in the upcoming years.
When it comes to the Borsuk IFV, and its specialist derivatives, as well as the Ottokar-Brzoza tank destroyers, performance contracts regarding manufacturing and delivery of those are planned in the coming years. Let us recall that agreement on more than 1,400 vehicles has been signed this year, based on the Borsuk IFV. That includes 1,000 standard IFVs. Meanwhile, the Ottokar-Brzoza framework agreement has been signed last year. The Ottokar-Brzoza platform would fuse the Waran 4x4 vehicle, MBDA Brimstone ATGMs, and Topaz battle management suite.
Deputy Head of the Polish MoD also recalled that HSW S.A. is also a part of the Gladius programme, in a subcontracting capacity. The HSW's role would be to deliver 4x4 vehicles for the battery command modules of the Gladius search and strike systems.