Żółć

The Romanians had just chosen Abrams - although in a small quantity. As for potential customers there is Lithuania, they plan to form a tank battalion. In their case, my bets are on Leopard though. 

21 hours ago, SH_MM said:

Both vehicles had developmental issues with their turrets

That is interesting in the context of Polish trials  

Apparently, Ukraine has placed an order for Polish MSBS Grot rifles. Poland delivered around 10,000 of them at the beginning of the conflict in 2022. Now it seams that they gained a liking by the Ukrainian soldiers https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1636254965508210688

Abrams for Poland https://twitter.com/mblaszczak/status/1633398218137411586?s=20

10 hours ago, SH_MM said:

IMO it is a bit odd to see how much the trial results of Lynx & Redback dramatically differ based on country were they were tested. This raises the question if the performance is so temperature/climate dependent or if requirements and perceived performance are to blame for the different assessements.

In Poland, Redback's tests went poorly

Summary of today's Polish contracts. A framework agreement has been concluded for the purchase of ~1400 vehicles based on the Universal Modular Tracked Platform, of which 1000+ will be New Amphibious Combat Infantry Vehicles 'Borsuk', while the remaining 300+ vehicles will be support vehicles of all kinds. 
At the same time, the Ministry of Defence announced a contract for the development of a heavy non-amphibious infantry fighting vehicle (with identical armament to the amphibious Badger). The vehicle demonstrator is to be built by the end of 2023.

The second piece of information concerning the military comes from a response to a parliamentary interpellation. According to the answer provided by the Ministry of National Defence, a contract for the supply of 'WR-40 Langusta' multiple rocket launchers will be awarded later this year.

Poland's President confirmed that PL wants to send a company worth Leopard 2s to Ukraine. it is not clear whether the company in mention is to be a polish one, with 14 tanks, or a Ukrainian one, consisting of 10 tanks. 

On 12/31/2022 at 10:11 PM, Lord_James said:

Thanks, now all I gotta figure out is who brought it from Poland to some rural Florida parking lot. The building she’s in front of is abandoned, so no one to ask right there. I’ll just post the rest of the pictures I took. Apologies for no spoilers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Żółć, a lot of these are instructions? “This goes here” “That goes there” “Don’t smoke near the gas tank, dumbass”? Also, interesting they kept the Russian instruction plates on the parachute hatch, wheel well, and instructor’s seat, instead of replacing them with Polish. 

The inscriptions on the plating are mainly information about the components underneath, and partly instructions. The first one says "after hooking up the tank to the lock check the size of the lever overlap behind the electromagnet sector 2.5+0.5mm". The next inscription visible in Polish is "NP-27 emergency pump", the inscription in the next photo is illegible to me. The penultimate photo is, in turn, going from the top: "the afterburner chamber mount"; "attention, the shaft is to be screwed in 10mm deep from the face of the sleeve"; "the nozzle hydro jumper wires". The caption in red from the last photo reads "start-up DC current". The other inscriptions, going from the top, read: "brake flap mount"; "oxygen supply reducer"; and, I think, "brake flap tractor".

Arguably, the most interesting part is the financing. Check it out. 

Quote

(i) Prospective Purchaser: Republic of Poland.
(ii) Total Estimated Value: Major Defense Equipment* $3.25 billion.
Other $0.50 billion.
Total $3.75 billion.
Funding Source: National Funds and Foreign Military Financing (FMF). 

Sorry for post after post but one issue has started to bother me. @SH_MM do you perhaps know just how well armoured the exhaust channel is, if at all?  

It is not that simple, I rather rule out that there was a potential bias. The IFV Borsuk tests are conducted in the 16th Mechanised Division and the Redback tests are conducted in the 18th Mechanised Division. After these tests there was an exchange of opinions, a comparison was made and the conclusion was that the Redback performs poorly. This second division, the 18th Mechanised Division, is to receive Abrams and, as its commander argued, a heavy IFV is needed to accompany these tanks. The same commander, in an interview with Polska Zbrojna, a military newspaper, spoke in glowing terms about the Redback (this was before the tests started) and claimed that the Redback was a vehicle in serial production and service with the Korean Army - at best he misunderstood something or was misled because I don't want to think he knew he was telling a falsehood. When I wrote that the army does not approach Redback with enthusiasm, I was referring to soldiers serving in the field. The ministry and the commanders close to the current minister (which is no secret) like Redback. 

The Polish Armaments Group managed to win a Norwegian tender for the delivery of MANPADS, making Norway the first user of the "Piorun" system that had not previously used Groms or other MANPADS of Soviet provenance

On 11/25/2022 at 7:29 PM, 2805662 said:

Anecdotally, the Polish tests did not have any contractors present to zero, boresight, or train the crews.

Weapons tests were conducted by the Korean crew. 
From other news/rumours. In addition to turret accuracy problems, the AS-21 was also said to have issues with its thermal signatures. According to available information, it performed very badly compared to the Borsuk IFV. The AS-21 tested in Poland was not equipped with the exhaust cooling system that was present during trials in Australia. The army, unlike politicians, does not seem to be enthusiastic about the vehicle.

Here are two videos showcasing "Borsuk" IFV during trials on the training range. The first video has no commentary, the second one does have it but only in polish (though it is worth watching). 

Additional photos of Borsuk, ready to swim You can see observation modules (part of 360* situational awareness system) that rotate 90* when the vehicle goes into the water, so the driver has good visibility.

Photos of Borsuk IFV from today's presentation 

Officially Borsuk is certain. Redback is being considered as a heavy IFV meant only for the 18th Division. Nothing has been decided yet. 

Almost a marketing video of Redback undergoing "comparative trials" - although I'm not sure to what vehicle Redback is being compared too, those soldiers up to now only used BMP-1s 

And a nice photo. 

AS-21 Redback is undergoing testing in the 18th Mechanized Division.

Long time no see. Today, the Polish MoD signed a contract for 341 ZSSW-30 turrets. The first production batch is composed of 70x ZSSW-30 turrets, which are to be fitted to Rosomak wheeled IFVs. The batches to follow are meant to incorporate upgrades/modifications based on feedback from the armed forces. Contract for the 70x turrets is worth around 367 mln. $

As if that wasn't enough for today, guess what, we want to form two more divisions. We are currently in the process of creating our fourth division, and MOD wants to have two more. Are you not entertained?!
https://twitter.com/MON_GOV_PL/status/1536337136001196032?s=20&t=7Gm_HRpXIy1Oyge3-p4I_g

Two additional divisions for the land forces, in simplified terms, more than 40,000x soldiers, 460x tanks, 900x IFV/APC, 380 artillery pieces, 8x Narew batteries, 2x Wisła batteries, several thousand other vehicles...

AW149 is also to be procured by our armed forces. This information, as always, is a surprise as the MOD didn't inform publicly that they plan to procure those (or any other) helicopters. I'm starting to believe, that our minister of defence is trying to replicate a scene from gladiator - "are you not entertained?!" 
https://twitter.com/MON_GOV_PL/status/1536336920187392001?s=20&t=7Gm_HRpXIy1Oyge3-p4I_g

P.S. and some satellites to

On 5/26/2022 at 11:21 PM, Alzoc said:

the K2PL being unlikely but still possibility

@Alzoci have something for you, https://twitter.com/PGZ_pl/status/1536324327259398152?s=20&t=7Gm_HRpXIy1Oyge3-p4I_g 

Yep, K2PL is coming in hot more tanks for Poland I guess. Let's have a moment of silence in memory of Polish logistical and maintenance units, I peaty those brave men and women. Now, in theory, Poland will be using 247x Leopard 2PL and 2A5, +300x M1A1SA/FEP, 250x M1A2 SEP v.3, 232x PT-91 and probably some leftover T-72M1R with around 500x K2/K2PL to come. Our T-72M1R are being currently sent to Ukraine, but will we send all of them is hard to tell, though it is probable. The future of PT-91 is also uncertain. 

Poland recently signed a contract for the sale of "Krab" self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. The transaction is worth PLN 2.7bn - €589m. Ukraine is buying three squadrons of "Krab" self-propelled howitzers, which translates into approximately 54 howitzers, and all associated equipment. In addition, Ukraine already uses one such squadron - 18 howitzers, as well as command vehicles, ammunition vehicles, etc. In the final analysis, Ukraine will use 72 howitzers of Polish production, and there may be further orders from them in the future.

Poland's Minister of National Defence is visiting South Korea, https://twitter.com/MON_GOV_PL/status/1530821815773306882?s=20&t=NVW6hFHKQHvbGiE1QrJ9jA and as far as rumours go, Poland will buy a few new systems from Korea. There is talk that we want to procure K21/AS21, K2, K2PL, T-50 and Sohn Wonyil submarines. I have to say that I would be devastated if we were to buy (or even worse - licence produce) new IFVs since we are at the end of trials for our domestically developed Borsuk (badger) IFV. And sadly, it is a possibility since one of our generals (the one that wanted and got Abrams) was lately openly speaking about him wanting to field new IFVs as soon as possible for his division and that he cannot wait for the production of Borsuk. It is just mindless. Although I will once again state that this is all rumours, we should see what was true and false in a few days.