Polish Armed Forces to Procure the First Borsuk IFVs [EXCLUSIVE]

The framework agreement for the Borsuk IFVs was signed between the Armament Agency and the consortium of Polish Armaments Group and Huta Stalowa Wola at the end of February 2023. It covers over a thousand Borsuk IFVs plus approximately 400 specialized vehicles of various classes based on its chassis. These include Żuk tracked reconnaissance vehicles, Oset tracked command vehicles, the Gotem MEDEVAC platform, Gekon ARVs, and the Ares CRBN Reconnaissance platform.

According to unofficial sources, negotiations for the executive contract, i.e., the procurement process regarding the first 159 vehicles in the infantry fighting vehicle version, will start in early August. This translates into procurement covering the needs of two mechanized infantry battalions (two units of 58 each) plus vehicles for training elements.

Borsuk IFV is a modern tracked vehicle designed for the mechanized infantry elements. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, and a driver. The vehicle is an amphibious platform which distinguishes it from other counterparts. Borsuk offers the crew and the troops inside protection from small arms fire, anti-tank grenade launchers, and IED/mines.

The vehicle can travel at a top speed of 65 kph on hardened surfaces, and it can attain speeds of up to 8 kph in an amphibious setting. Borsuk weighs 28 tonnes in its base variant.

The Borsuk design has been created by a consortium led by HSW S.A. It involves the entities as follows: Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Devices Mechanicznych OBRUM Sp.z o.o., Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne S.A. [Military Automotive Works], ROSOMAK S.A., Military Electronic Works S.A., War Studies University, Military University of Technology, Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej [Military Military Institute of Armoured and Automotive Technology] and Warsaw University of Technology.