Polish Armed Forces To Secure New IFV Wolverine Contract This Year
The Polish Army is seeking to obtain over 200 new Wolverine IFVs with a new ZSSW-30 turret system. The Polish Armament Agency wants to split the deal into two contracts to speed up the delivery process.
The first of the Wolverine (or Rosomak) IFVs, a licenced version of the Patria 8×8, rolled out in 2003. 20 years ago the vehicle offered decent protection and firepower with its OTO Melara Hitfist-30P turret equipped with Bushmaster ATK Mk 44 30mm chaingun. But it could be said that by today’s standards, the lack of an integrated modern anti-tank guided missile capability and separate commander sight hampers performance. Wear and tear on in service vehicles is also a facture, necessitating upgrades and refit. In light of said problems, introducing a new batch of modernized Wolverines became a must. This was first highlighted by Poland’s previous Minister of Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak. During his tenure, a framework agreement on the modification of over 600 Wolverines with new ZSSW-30 turrets was signed.
Poland has also donated some of its Wolverine IFVs to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The vehicles were taken from active battalions of mechanized brigades, as the Polish Armed Forces did not stockpile a sufficient number of IFVs. The number is believed to be around 100 IFVs. According to Oryx at least 3 Wolverines are believed to have been destroyed in combat. As a result the Polish Army also needs to replace the Wolverines provided as aid to Ukraine.
Mechanized brigades are the backbone of the Polish Armed Forces. Their heavy reliance on Wolverines is the result of prolonged utilization of the outdated BMP-1D IFVs which themselves have not yet fully been replaced by the new generation of vehicles. Thus the procurement of a new batch of wheeled IFVs is a must.
According to reports from Defence24, the Polish Army will obtain over 200 new Wolverines. The contract for the first 58 vehicles will be signed in the coming weeks and will include the standard variant of the Wolverine equipped with a new ZSSW-30 turret (which mounts two Rafael Spike anti-armour missiles) and the new Scania DC13 engine. By the end of the year, a contract for an additional 174 of the larger Wolverine-L variant vehicles will be secured as well. The deliveries are planned to conclude by 2029.