Poland has ordered Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles: the first batch will be 111 units
The Polish Ministry of Defence has signed a contract for the purchase of 111 Borsuk light infantry fighting vehicles. The supply will last until 2029, and the deal is worth PLN 6.5 billion (EUR 1.55 billion).
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The contract was signed on 27 March. The first BMP is due to be delivered to the army in 2025, and the last one - by 2029. Thus, the average production rate will be one Borsuk in about 12-13 days.
The price of one vehicle under this contract is about €14 million, which is higher than the cost of Swedish CV90s, which cost €10-12 million per unit. The high price is due to the start of mass production, when the cost is usually higher.
The process of placing a firm order took two years, as initially, in 2023, there was only a framework contract for the purchase of 1,400 vehicles in various modifications. However, the issue of agreeing on the price and other production parameters delayed the process.
Borsuk tracked infantry fighting vehicle. Illustration: Michał Niwicz
The Borsuk was the first Polish IFV to be developed since 2014 to replace the outdated BWP-1. It is a light infantry fighting vehicle with amphibious capabilities. It weighs 28 tonnes, has frontal projection protection against 14.5-mm ammunition at a distance of 200 metres, and a German 720-horsepower MTU 8V199 TE20 engine that provides a specific power output of 25.7 hp/t.
Armament includes a ZSSW-30 combat module with a 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon and Spike-LR anti-tank missiles. The crew consists of three people, and the landing bay can accommodate six soldiers.
Source: X
