Industry
Polish Ministry of Defence Begins The Negotiation Process Related To The Leopard Tanks. The Agreement Is To Be Signed In The Autumn
Polish Ministry of Defence released information, according to which yet another procedure, the aim of which is to modernize the Leopard 2A4 tanks utilized by the Polish Army, has been initiated. Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa [Polish Armament Group], as well as Zakłady Mechaniczne Bumar Łabędy [Bumar Łabędy Mechanical Works] have both been invited to take part in the tender. The agreement is to be signed between the third and fourth quarter of 2015. Initially it was planned that a relevant contract would be signed in 2013.
Spokesperson for the Polish Ministry of Defence, Col. Jacek Sońta, informed us in his statement that another procedure, the aim of which is to modernize the Leopard 2A4 tanks began on 27th May. He stressed the fact that the negotiations, that are to be carried out on 11th June, are going to involve both the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa [Polish Armament Group], as well as the Zakłady Mechaniczne Bumar Łabędy [Bumar Łabędy Mechanical Works] company.
According to Col. Sońta, the agreement is to be signed between third and fourth quarter of 2015. The spokesperson for the Polish MoD stressed the fact that the work schedule, as well as the deadlines, are going to constitute an object of negotiations between the Armament Inspectorate and the contractor, while the final arrangements would be dependent mainly on the contractor’s capacity within the scope of the realized contract.
Back in February this year, the Polish government had cancelled the previous procedure related to modernization of the Leopard 2A4 tanks, rejecting the offer placed by the consortium consisting of the PHO, OBRUM and Bumar-Łabędy companies. According to the information released by the Polish Armament Group, MoD’s decision was caused by formal and substantial errors contained within the documentation and too low level of polonisation of the process.
At the end of January, the offer placed by the consortium consisting of the PHO, OBRUM and Bumar Łabędy companies was criticized by the MoD’s Secretary of State, Czesław Mroczek. His assessment was compliant with the information obtained by Defence24.pl, regarding the possibilities within the scope of realizing a complex inspection and repairs programme regarding the Leopard tanks, carried out at the Gliwice-based facility.
The Polish Leopard 2A4 tanks modernization programme is significantly delayed in comparison with the initial plans. According to the content of the materials shared by the Ministry of Defence in December 2012, it was initially assumed that an agreement is going to be signed in 2013, between 2014 and 2015 the test batch is going to be developed, while the main portion of the works was to happen between 2015 and 2018. Currently, according to the “Armed Forces Technical Modernization Plan For The Period Between 2013 and 2022” (as defined on 8th May), acquisition of the modernized Leopard 2A4 tanks is to start from 2017.