HSW Closes Year With 96 AHS Krab Deal And More
Huta Stalowa Wola will close the year positively, as two new contracts for the Polish Armed Forces have been agreed just before the Christmas holidays. The company will deliver 96 new AHS Krab self-propelled howitzers and convey support and command vehicles to support the newly purchased 212 Korean-manufactured K9 howitzers. In total 13 artillery battalions will receive hundreds of new combat and support vehicles in 3 years.
The first contract, signed for the delivery of divisional fire modules (DMO) REGINA, comprises 96 AHS Krab, command vehicles, munition transport, mobile weapons, and electronics workshops, as well as a training and logistical pack, was priced at $4.25 billion. In total 4 artillery squadrons are scheduled to be delivered between 2026 and 2029. The AHS Krab platform along with K9 howitzers will finally replace the ex-Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika SPH that was utilized before massive purchases made by the Polish Armament Agency.
In terms of numbers, the Polish fleet of AHS Krab will expand from 122 ordered pieces to 218 in total. It is worth noting that some AHS Krab howitzers were delivered to the Ukraine Armed Forces, some of which were assigned to a production lot dedicated to the Polish Armed Forces, causing a delay in deliveries of the initial order.
The second deal signed between the Armament Agency and HSW valued at $2 billion covers the delivery of command and maintenance vehicles for K9 artillery batteries. This is part of a wider “domestication” of K9 introduction by the Polish Armed Forces agreed upon procurement of the platform from Korean manufacturer Hanhwa. Units equipped with Korean-made howitzers will receive HSW’s Artillery Command Vehicles (AWD) on both battery and battalion command levels, command trucks, and other equipment, as well as the WB Group TOPAZ command and control system. In addition, HSW will develop a new Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV) based on the existing AHS Krab platform.