More than twelve years have passed since the start of the Borsuk tank project. On December 4, the
“Today is a great day for the Polish army, a great day for the security of the Polish state,” said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. “15 Borsuki for the 15th Mechanized Brigade in Giżycko – that is now a fact. They will soon be delivered to our soldiers. I am delighted that the commanders of the 16th Division and the 15th Brigade are here, as well as all the soldiers who will operate this equipment and master it one hundred percent, because then all the efforts will really be crowned.”
Kosiniak-Kamysz then also mentioned his predecessors in the office of Minister of Defense: in 2013, the construction process was initiated by Tomasz Siemoniak, the Minister of Defense at the time. His successors continued the project until it could be accelerated at the turn of 2024 and 2025. On March 27 of this year, the contract for 111 Borsuk tanks worth 1.56 billion euros was finally signed. was signed. This also includes a training and logistics package. Deliveries will continue until 2029. A further order for the new tanks is currently being prepared, as the current Minister of Defense explained.
They are also working on new modifications and versions of the vehicle. For example, Kosiniak-Kamysz mentioned versions as command vehicles and as support vehicles for the chemical weapons troops. At a meeting with soldiers and employees of Huta Stalowa Wola, he said: “We are working on various modifications in all of these programs, both those that are buoyant and those that do not require buoyancy.”
The Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle is a modern, floating tracked vehicle designed to transport and protect infantrymen from small arms fire, anti-tank grenades and IEDs. The armament of the Borsuk consists of a 30-millimeter Mk 44S Bushmaster cannon, a twin PPK spike launcher and a coupled UKM-2000C universal machine gun with a calibre of 7.62 millimeters. The armament is housed in a ZSSW-30 remote-controlled turret system. In addition, the Borsuk has high tactical mobility, great firepower and high ballistic and mine resistance.
Paweł Bejda, Deputy Minister of Defence responsible for the modernization of the Polish army, emphasized: “The Borsuk was tested by soldiers in the 15th Mechanized Brigade in Giżycko, who came to a clear conclusion: The Borsuk is an excellent infantry fighting vehicle. I would like to thank everyone who has worked since 2013 to ensure that the Polish army is equipped with modern and safe equipment. A big round of applause for you, for the designers, engineers and all those who were visionaries.”
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