Polish Army Is Going To Acquire EOD Engineering Support Vehicles

Within the framework of the negotiations, it is planned to assess, whether the vehicles that are readily available on the market meet the requirements of the Polish Ministry of Defence. It is also expected that the equipment options regarding the EOD vehicles would be presented, including options of fitting the equipment which is already being used by the Army onto the vehicles, with consideration of the guidelines contained in the Initial Requirements of the Technical Dialogue.

The aim of the procedure is also to obtain the technological information related to the offered products, including the description and the energy balance data. The dialogue is also going to make it possible to define the volume and maximum permissible mass of the vehicle. Lastly, the options related to the cabin equipment and crew layout are also going to be discussed. Within the scope of the dialogue, the flexibility of modifications which may be implemented, in case of the products readily available on the market, is going to be assessed. The said assessment is going to cover the area related to the available options of tailoring the vehicle to the requirements of the Polish Armed Forces. The above part of the discussion is also additionally going to cover the time-dimension of the works, and options of realizing these modifications, with the use of the contractor’s funds.

The Armament Inspectorate is also willing to propose the changes in the requirements-defined parameters (maintaining the functional requirements related to the vehicles). The dialogue is scheduled to be carried out between October and November 2015, however it may be prolonged, should the involved Parties be unable to reach the goals. The requests for being included in the dialogue are going to be accepted until 28th October 2015.

According to the requirements published by the Armament Inspectorate, the procedure is going to result in creation of a substantial basis for development of a new EOD vehicle. Its on-board equipment, and equipment that is going to be transported, is to make it possible to detect, neutralize and destroy the improvised explosive devices and the unexploded ordnance during the tactical operations, also within the scope of neutralizing the threats related to the explosive devices, pertaining the infrastructure which has been taken over in the course of the combat operations. The vehicle is also going to be of assistance during the process of dealing with the effects of the operational activities, within the territory of the country and on the foreign soil. It was stressed that the carrier is to be tailored to operate in asymmetric circumstances, regardless of the climatic and weather conditions, at night and during the day.

The vehicle is going to be fitted with a remotely controlled armament module, equipped with the WKM-B .50-cal. machine gun, complemented with the WKW, WKB or other anti-material rifle and by a Mossberg 12/70mm or Remington 870 shotgun. The platform should be capable to be operated within the contaminated areas. It should have armour-plating sufficient to offer protection from small-arms fire and hand-grenades, it should also be resistant to anti-personnel mines, and other projectiles and bombs, as defined by description of the Level II of ballistic protection, in line with the STANAG 4569 norm, within A and B scopes.

The equipment carried by the vehicle is going to include mine and bomb detection devices (including Ferrex-type magnetometer detectors), systems that would make it possible to detect chemical, biological and nuclear contamination, along with other specialized devices, including a UAV fitted with an HD camera, capable of transmitting the video signal in real time. The vehicle is also going to be fitted with an optronic device, featuring video and thermal vision camera, and a laser range-finder. The carrier should be compatible with the existing and prospective command suites, used by the Polish Army.

EOD APC is also going to be tailored to transport a 300 kg bomb disposal robot. Solutions which are going to make it possible to deploy the robot, without the need of crew leaving the vehicle, are also to be implemented. It is stressed that utilizing a large robot (with a weight of at least 600 kilograms) would be preferable. The carrier should also be capable of towing trailers with own weight of up to 5 tonnes, that are currently used by the Armed Forces, including the trailers fitted with a bomb containment chamber. Bomb disposal robot trailer is also an option here. Additionally, the APC should also be fitted with a winch which would be capable of pulling 60% of the total permissible mass of the vehicle.

EOD APC is going to use anti-explosive inserts in the tyres, along with a central pumping system which would make it possible for the vehicle to continue movement, once the tyres are shot through by 7.62 mm ammo, with not more than 1 bullet hole per wheel, and not more than 4 bullet holes in all of the wheels. In such condition, the vehicle should be able to cover at least 10 kilometres, at a speed of 40 kph. The basic chassis is also required to be fitted with fire-extinguishing and anti-explosion systems.