Industry
Leopard 2A4 Modernization Programme Launched. Bumar-Łabędy Signs a Contract with Rheinmetall
Bumar-Łabędy S.A. facility concluded a contract with the Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH company, pertaining the collaboration within the framework of the Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks modernization programme. The initiative concerns the tanks that are being used by the land component of the Polish Army. These vehicles are going to be upgraded up to the Leopard 2PL standard. The value of the contract has been estimated as more than EUR 130 million. The document opens the delayed realization of the programme, and it constitutes a basis for the future joint initiatives, including the works on support vehicles that would be able to keep up with the new tanks on the battlefield.
The agreement has been signed in Gliwice, by and between the “Bumar-Łabędy” S.A. facility, being a part of the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. [Polish Armament Group], and the German Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH company which is a part of the Rheinmetall Defence group. Bumar-Łabędy company was represented by the President of the Board, Adam Janiki, and Board Member, Zbignniew Siuśta. Ben Hudson, President of the Board, and Michael Andrzej Kara, Member of the Board, signed the document on behalf of the Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH company. The ceremony involved, among other officials, member of the board of the Polish Armament Group, Maciej Lew-Mirski.
READ MORE: Leopard 2PL - Polish Industry’s Contribution To The Modernization Programme
On the basis of the signed Agreement, Rheinmetall is going to create a modernization project. The German company will also prepare the technical documentation, along with a prototype of the modernized tank and the test lot vehicles. The Germans are also going to support the “Bumar-Łabędy” facility within the scope of technical solutions required to start series production. The required tools and know-how is expected to be provided within a period of 36 months. Value of the agreement has been estimated as ca. EUR 130 million.
Michael Andrzej Kara, representing the Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH company, informed that the Germans are willing to make the Bumar-Łabędy facility a strategic partner, when it comes to the area of the armoured recovery vehicles (ARV), based on the Leopard 2 chassis. This also concerns the potential collaboration regarding the recovery vehicles that would be procured by the third parties.
The Germans are additionally willing to expand collaboration with the Polish industry within other dimensions, including the option of manufacturing the Rheinmetall ammunition in Poland, or polonisation of the Oerlikon Millennium cannon, for land-based and naval applications.
Within the framework of the cooperation involving the Bumar-Łabędy facility, which has already begun, the press meeting featured a demonstration of the first Polish Leopard 2A4 tank which went through the F6 overhaul, in collaboration with the Rheinmetall company. Soon, we will present more details related to collaboration between Bumar-Labedy and Rheinmetall.