Polish MND delivers eight 155 mm Krabs to 21st Podhale Rifle Brigade

29th December 2021 - 16:33 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Krabs were manufactured by the national company Huta Stalowa Wola (photo – Polish MND)

Apart from the Krabs, the Brigade also received one battery command vehicle, two command post vehicles, two ammunition supply vehicles, one armament and electronics repair vehicle and one squadron command staff vehicle.

The Polish MND announced on 28 December the delivery of eight new 155 mm Krab self-propelled howitzers (SPH) to the 21st Podhale Rifle Brigade. The new systems were manufactured by the national company Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW).

The 21st Podhale Rifle Brigade is part of the 18th Mechanised Division which is responsible for ensuring the security of the east of the country and eastern flank of NATO as well as protecting the Polish-Belarusian border.

In 2016, the Polish MND awarded HSW an over PLN 4.6 billion ($1,2 billion) contract for the supply of 96 Krabs, with deliveries scheduled to take place by 2024.

The Polish Army has taken delivery of the first batch of serial production Krab SPHs in 2019. So far, Poland has received a total of 80 platforms.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, this vehicle consists of a locally produced version of the Hanwha Defense K9 Thunder hull mated with the turret from the BAE Systems AS90 self-propelled gun. It is armed with a 155mm L/52 gun designed by Rheinmetall.