Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Ministry of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, on Tuesday approved a framework contract to supply nearly 1,400 new vehicles for the army. The package includes about 1,000 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles and a fleet of related support and reconnaissance platforms. He described the move as a historic milestone and confirmed that the production will be centered at Huta Stalowa Wola, a key defense industry facility.
The new vehicles are intended to replace the aging Soviet-era BWP-1s. The initial four battalions are slated for delivery within the current year. Alongside the Borsuk, the framework contract covers a range of combat and support variants, including reconnaissance, command, medical evacuation, technical security, and contamination reconnaissance vehicles.
The approval of the Borsuk framework has been described by one major online portal as the largest defense industry project in Poland in half a century, a characterisation echoed by officials and industry observers who note the scale and strategic significance of the investment.
— said Błaszczak to representatives at Huta Stalowa Wola on Tuesday. The minister highlighted HSW as a strong, modern brand in defense manufacturing, known for high-quality, battle-proven weapons. He reminded listeners that Stalowa Wola remains a supplier to Poland’s Armed Forces and has extended contributions to allied forces in regional security efforts.
Additionally, the head of the Ministry of National Defense indicated that the Technical Modernization Board has approved the design of a heavier vehicle variant built on the Krab self-propelled howitzer chassis and featuring the ZSSW-30 unmanned turret used with the Borsuk. The first four badgers are projected to be delivered this year to the 16th Mechanized Division, based in northeastern Poland, while a heavier version will reach the 18th Mechanized Division, which operates alongside Abrams tanks in the broader force structure.
“It is my expectation that the Polish army will be equipped with these new infantry fighting vehicles in the near term,” the minister remarked. He stressed that the period in which the army relied on older, post-Soviet systems has passed, and the era of the Borsuk IFV has begun.
Blaszczak also noted the swift modernization trend away from Soviet-era weaponry toward modern, NATO-standard armaments. He expressed gratitude to Borsuk designers and emphasized that the vehicle’s design is set to transform the Polish military’s equipment profile.
He added that government procurement prioritizes Polish manufacturing when possible, supplementing these purchases with strategic acquisitions from the United States and South Korea to ensure interoperability. The emphasis on compatibility and interoperability across allies underpins these procurement choices.
Beyond procurement, the ministry announced an information campaign titled “Strong and modern army, secure Poland,” intended to showcase government achievements in defense modernization.
Since the PiS government took power and Andrzej Duda became president, officials have described the defense program as a period of breakthrough and fundamental change for homeland security. The development at Stalowa Wola and the broader upgrade of defense plants are cited as testament to this shift.
Technological leap for the military
Sebastian Chwałek, president of PGZ, emphasized that closing the Borsuk IFV project marks a decisive step in modernizing Poland’s armed forces. He framed it as a technological leap that strengthens national defense and state resilience. By advancing Borsuk production, Poland’s defense industry gains greater capability and stability in local employment. PGZ also pointed to HSW’s prior work with Krab howitzers and Rak mortars as indicators of the plant’s growing potential and ongoing development.
Chwałek underscored that HSW’s capabilities will continue to expand, reinforcing the plant’s prominent role in Poland’s industrial defense base.
Borsuk — vehicle details
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the BORSUK IFV features a remote-controlled ZSSW-30 turret. The crew consists of three—commander, weapon operator, and driver—and the vehicle is capable of engaging infantry, armored targets, and aerial threats. Its high mobility enables it to traverse difficult terrain and water obstacles, enhancing operational flexibility in diverse environments.
Crucial to the BORSUK’s combat power is the ZSSW-30 turret, developed by Huta Stalowa Wola in collaboration with WB Electronics. The primary armament is a Bushmaster Mk.44S automatic cannon, with a 7.62 mm UKM-2000C coaxial machine gun as secondary artillery. An additional multi-launch system offers guided anti-tank missiles for enhanced anti-armor capability.
The Borsuk family is positioned as a central element of Poland’s modernization push, aligning with NATO interoperability standards and reinforcing the country’s defense-industrial ecosystem.
For context, the modernization program is associated with broader reports on Poland’s defense strategy and industry trajectory as part of national security and regional stability objectives. It reflects ongoing efforts to reduce dependence on legacy equipment and to modernize the force with foreign and domestic partnerships while keeping critical manufacturing within national borders. (Source: wPolityce, as reported in contemporary press coverage.)