Borsuk IFV programme marks turning point for Poland’s armoured modernisation
The Borsuk vehicles are to replace the Soviet-designed BMP-1 as the Polish military’s main tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
GDELS M3 Amphibious Bridge (Photo: GDELS)
General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) announced on 6 October that the company will provide the M3 Amphibious Bridge and Ferry System to Latvia.
The contract was awarded to GDELS by US Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, which is managing support to Latvia as it addresses needs for additional NATO wet-gap crossing solutions.
Deliveries will also include an integrated logistics support package consisting of training, tools and manuals.
Latvia will become the latest country to use the M3 system, following the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and Germany, according to GDELS.
The M3 is used in different roles, from combat operations to civil defence. The platform and ferry system can carry all NATO vehicles and build a 100m floating bridge in less than ten minutes.
The vehicles will also be equipped with ‘Arctic kits’ that will allow to operate them in very cold climate conditions.
The Borsuk vehicles are to replace the Soviet-designed BMP-1 as the Polish military’s main tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
The package of three standalone follow-on contracts makes this the largest contract won by the Australian company and larger than its total 2024 revenue.
Patria quotes a maximum rate of fire of eight rounds a minute from the new ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle) self-propelled gun with a range of 40km for an assisted round. The rapid, low-risk development is designed to meet emerging requirements which have arisen out of the Ukraine war.
The termination of programmes such as JLTV and RCV has been harshly criticised by members of the US Congress.
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This recent purchase of the medium-range air defence system adds to the country’s ongoing efforts to ramp up its overall defence readiness and capabilities.