Twilight tank experts have failed, as confirmed by the work on the fresh generation cars launched in the US and Europe. The war in Ukraine, where tanks are utilized in offensive and defensive activities, had a crucial influence on this. This changed the approach to specified weapons in the West, although many experts considered them obsolete a fewer years ago.
In NATO, he braked, launched after the end of the Cold War, the process of disposing of tanks. Unfortunately, before this happened, armored forces in the armies of the largest Western European states – Germany, France, Italy, large Britain and Spain – had graduated to three–seven battalions. In any of them, the number of tanks was reduced below 200. another countries, specified as Belgium and the Netherlands, have completely abandoned these machines. Currently, NATO is undergoing a process of rebuilding armoured troops, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Tank upgrades have already been launched: Italian Ariete, German Leopard 2, French Leclerc and British Challenger 2. At the same time, another NATO east flank states are ordering Western machines to replace the russian ones, mainly in the T-72 family. Interestingly, the acquisition of tanks is decided by countries that have not yet had them, specified as Lithuania.
While the interest in tanks has increased, in Western Europe their mass production has only been maintained in Germany. This means that there is simply a long waiting time for the transportation of fresh Leopards, and next generation equipment will be available in respective years. Although Rheinmetall presented variants of the fresh Panther tank, for the time being this is just a technology demonstrators. The only Natowski developed in the 21st century of this kind of car that enters production is Turkish Altay, created in cooperation with South Korea. Something is changing, however, due to the fact that in May 2024, the announcement of Abrams production resumed in the United States. To date, the Americans have offered abroad customers surplus tanks for native land troops (US Army), the last of which was manufactured in the 1990s.
Two Faces of Abrams
Probably a pilot programme for resuming production Abrams will carry out the order for Poland. On 5 April 2022 a contract was signed worth about $4.75 billion for the supply of 250 M1A2 SEPv3 tanks for the Polish Army. Together with them, 26 M88A2 Hercules method safety vehicles, 17 M1074, training and logistics packages and ammunition supplies were ordered.
The M1A2 SEPv3 supplies were to start in early 2025, but are likely to be accelerated. Meanwhile, the 4th and final transportation of the M1A1 version of Abrams arrived in Poland on 26 June. The Americans met the agreement concluded on 4 January 2023, under which 116 tanks and associated equipment ordered, including 12 M88A2 Hercules method safety wagons, 8 M1074, six M577 command wagons and 26 SECM workshop on the HMMWV car chassis and training and logistics packages. The first 14 M1A1 was handed over to the Polish Army on 28 June 2023. fast deliveries were possible due to the fact that the equipment came from US Army magazines.
The decision to order an older version of Abrams tanks, which could have been rapidly delivered, had to do with the Russian-Ukrainian War. From 2022 to 2023, Poland donated most of its T-72 and respective twelve of about 230 PT-91 and 14 Leopards 2A4. This created a large gap in our tank park, which had to be filled rapidly in the face of a tense situation in the region.
The Abrams of both versions are designed to reconfigure tank battalions in the brigades of the 18th Mechanized Division, which is liable for the east direction for defending the alleged Brest gate. The first 2 equipped with M1A1 are part of the 1st Armored Brigade from Wejoła. M1A2 SEPv3 will be the first to receive 19 Mechanized Brigade from Lublin.
The introduction to the arms of the Polish Army of American tanks represents a qualitative change in relation to T-72 based on russian technology from the late 1960s and 1970s. Both versions of Abrams are armed with a smooth-bore cannon M256 caliber 120 mm with a 44 caliber barrel. In M1A2, SEPv3 it was adapted to fire, among others, programmable ammunition. The U.S. tank fire control strategy allows to operate in hunter-killer mode. Abrams maker ensures that they are able to destruct subcalibre missiles owned by Russia with tanks over 2 km away. During the wars with Iraq, American tankers managed to hit akin wagons by over 2500 m.
Korean Panther
Abrams are not everything, due to the fact that South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks go to the Polish Army. On 27 July 2022, the Armed Forces Agency signed a framework agreement with Hyundai Rot for the transportation of as many as 1,000 machines. The first batch of 180 K2 copies in a version akin to that delivered to South Korea's land troops was ordered a period later. First K2 reached Poland on 6 December 2022, and by the end of this year there are 84.
The first user of South Korean tanks was the 20th Mechanized Brigade from the 16th Mechanized Division, whose units are deployed close the royal circuit bordering Poland and Lithuania of the Russian exclave. K2 are introduced to troops deployed in Warmia and Mazury due to terrain and communication infrastructure. These tanks weigh 55 t, which is more than 10 little than Abrams, so they are better off in the area among lakes, rivers and canals and on narrow roads, and, most importantly, after appropriate preparation, they can overcome water obstacles up to 4 m by the bottom.
Like the gross of modern western K2 tanks is armed with a smooth-bore 120 mm cannon. CN08 has been adapted for the usage of precision KSTAM-II ammunition with a scope of up to 8 km. As a charging device was installed in K2, the crew of the vehicle numbered 3 soldiers, not 4 as in Abrams or Leopards. This solution increased the velocity of fire. Like in M1 the fire control strategy allows to operate in hunter-killer mode. The Korean tank is protected with steel-ceramic layer armor and reactive elements. It can be equipped with self-defense systems, including an active protection strategy developed in South Korea.
The remaining 820 K2 tanks, most of which are to be built in Poland, will be in the K2PL version. Therefore, on 9 July 2024 there was a contract between the Polish Armed Forces Group and Hyundai Rotem Company to make a consortium.
Badger standing by.
Co-operating with tanks of the mechanized infantry unit are to receive caterpillar combat infantry wagons, which will replace outdated BWP-1. The first will be developed by the Polish arms manufacture Borsuk, which besides mounted the native construction of an unmanned ZSSW-30 tower armed with a 30-millimeter Mk 44S Bushmaster automatic cannon, a 7.62 mm device weapon and a dual anti-tank guided rocket launcher. There's a six-man landing in the car. 1 of the basic requirements Borsuk had to meet is his ability to swim.
On 28 February 2023, a framework contract was signed for 1,000 Badgers and 400 specialist vehicles based on a universal modular caterpillar platform. In addition to the combat version, 10 specialist versions will be developed, including Oset command carts, medical evacuation Gotem and method safety Gekon, Ares contamination and reconnaissance beetle, and a 120 mm cancer self-propelled mortar variant. The next 4 versions, including the overhead miner, will be designed for engineering units.
Badger tests have late been successfully completed, so negotiations for the first executive agreement may have begun. The PGZ declared that the first transportation of badgers would be 50–60 units, but over time production could increase to 100 or even 150 wagons per year. Currently, the main contractor of the “Borsuk” program is Huta Stalowa Wola, but the scale of needs makes it possible to affect more another PGZ-et entities in the future.
Home projects
Badger's gonna have an even bigger cousin. PGZ and Huta Stalowa Wola on 14 August 2023 signed a framework agreement with the Armed Forces Agency for the improvement and production of dense BWP. In this case, the ability to swim will not apply. There is an order for about 700 pieces, most likely with specialized versions. To velocity up work, the already existing Krab solutions and the unmanned tower strategy are planned to be used. Nevertheless, the creation of a dense BWP will take years, and the deadline for preparing prototypes this year proved impossible.
A akin problem concerns the improvement of a fresh generation of wheeled armored transporter to replace Rosomak. According to the framework agreement of August 14, 2023, the first deliveries should take place in 2028. The PGZ indicated that specified terms were impossible. The group estimated that it would take a akin time to make Borsuk, or even 12 years, to make KTO from scratch. Therefore, if fresh armored vehicles are to be delivered quickly, it is impossible to avoid buying know-how abroad. This solution worked for Krab and previously for Rosomak.
