Poland unveils heavy IFV demonstrator considered for export
In Kielce, Poland, a technology demonstrator of a new heavy tracked infantry fighting vehicle being developed by the Polish industry was presented at the MSPO defense exhibition. Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, described the project as one of the potential flagship export products of the state-owned defense group PGZ.
Poland aims to gradually move from the role of a major buyer of foreign weapons to that of a manufacturer and exporter, Kosiniak-Kamysz said at the opening of the exhibition on September 8. According to him, the country is becoming not only a buyer of military equipment but also a major producer of it.
Production plans
As Defense News reports, the new heavy IFV will weigh between 40 and 43 tonnes. A PGZ representative said the platform is intended to provide maximum protection for troops. The vehicle’s prototype is planned to be presented next year, while serial production could begin in 2029.
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The heavy tracked IFV is intended to complement PGZ’s offering alongside the light tracked Borsuk IFV, which is already in production. Poland’s Ministry of National Defence has ordered 257 Borsuk vehicles from the group. A 2023 framework agreement provides for the delivery of up to 1,400 platforms in various variants.
Procurement and financing
Polish military officials expect that around 700 heavy IFVs could be procured for the Polish Armed Forces. Kosiniak-Kamysz also said that the ratio of defense product procurement from Polish manufacturers to imports has reached 50 to 50.
The minister linked this to the European Union’s Security Action For Europe, or SAFE, mechanism. Under this instrument, Poland was allocated up to €43.7 billion in preferential loans for military procurement. At the same time, the country continues to purchase significant volumes of U.S. weapons, including Abrams tanks, F-35 fighter jets, AH-64E Apache helicopters, Patriot missiles, and M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems.
