Industry
Polish Support for K9 and Krab Howitzers. Over 1000 Vehicles
The Armament Agency has signed a framework agreement on the procurement of Polish support vehicles for the Battalion-Level Fire Modules (DMO). After the work covered by the agreement is completed, the future K9 units will operate an identical array of support vehicles, as the one assigned to the current Krab howitzer battalions.
Mariusz Błaszczak announced that the said agreement was signed via his social media channels.
The off-the-record information that we obtained suggests that the agreement pertains, among others to equipment for 28 Battalion-level Fire Modules. That quantity translates into the delivery of support assets for 672 howitzers - aligned with the total number of K9A1 and K9PL systems envisaged in the framework agreement. Back in July 2022, Poland signed a framework agreement on delivery of up to 672 K9A1/K9PL self-propelled howitzers. The first performance agreement signed in August 2022 envisaged procurement of 212 K9A1 systems, plus a training and logistics package, and a major quantity of munitions. Until now, 48 howitzers have been delivered, and all of them have also been fitted with the ZZKO Topaz FCS.
The framework agreement covers the procurement of elements of Battalion-level Fire Modules. Each of those modules, as it happens in the case of the Krab howitzers, includes WD command vehicles, Command Staff WDSz vehicles on a light tracked platform, plus logistics support vehicles (munitions carriers, armament and electronics repair vehicles), all based on Jelcz trucks, as well as other types of vehicles (such as reconnaissance, technical recovery) that had not been earlier purchased with Krab. The agreement may bring benefits for both the future K9A1/K9PL and Krab battalions as well. However, earlier on the Krab orders had concerned complete DMO elements.
Thanks to this agreement, the K9A1/K9PL battalions would attain full combat capability, and they would also be aligned with the Krab battalions, within the scope of command and logistics.
Poland decided to procure K9A1/K9PL howitzers back in 2022, as a decision was made to transfer most of the Krab howitzers to Ukraine and to ask HSW to work on procurements made by Kyiv. Also, a requirement was identified to launch a broad procurement of modern 155 mm howitzers. The K9 family systems are operated by Estonia, Finland, and Norway, while the K9 serves as a base platform for the HSW Krab system.