PGŽ is open to cooperation with the Finnish company Patria
photo D24
We are open to further cooperation with the Finnish company Patria; Regardless of the further fate of this cooperation, the service of the Rosomak wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) is not threatened – said Sebastian Chwałek, president of the Polish Armament Group, in an interview with PAP.
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The Finnish company Patria is the developer of the AMV modular armored vehicle. The vehicle, which was selected in a competition for wheeled armored personnel carriers in 2002, was named Rosomak in Poland.
“The factory in Siemianowice produced almost 900 cars, which performed very well in various theaters, participated in missions. The car is so good, among other things, thanks to the fact that Polish engineers introduced several hundred changes to it based on the experience of our soldiers in missions and in the country “- said Chwałek for PAP. “On that basis, we built many variants: from medical vehicles to communication and reconnaissance vehicles” – he reminded.
“It is a platform that serves the Polish army very well, but we have been producing it for 20 years. This 20-year cooperation should result in a more partnership approach of the licensor to Rosomak and PGŽ, while the cooperation is not entirely satisfactory for us,” he noted.
“The current contract expires at the end of 2023, it is possible to extend it, at the right moment we will decide what to do next. We are ready to talk with the Finnish partner about a more rational approach to this cooperation from their side. What is its basis, as well as the huge amount of equipment produced by the company Rosomak, the experience we brought to this structure – should result in obtaining a full license, and unfortunately it is still limited” – added the president of PGŽ. He pointed to the limitations of export possibilities. “The question is whether it is in Rosomak’s interest to continue such cooperation or we should consider finding a different solution,” Chwałek pointed out.
He also highlighted the cooperation agreement signed at the last Eurosatory fair in Paris with representatives of South Korea on cooperation in the production of 8×8 cars. “If we are not satisfied with the current solution, we will have to consider a new design – this one is already old – a vehicle that will better meet the expectations of the army, give it a greater possibility to offer it outside – this is important from a business point of view” – he stressed.
According to Chwałek, “statements from the Korean side are promising”, and the Polish army will be able to get acquainted with the capabilities of this vehicle. “Ultimately, we want to propose a modern solution, perhaps using other drive technologies, other materials. Korean companies have such capabilities, so our alliance with the Korean industry will give enormous opportunities for the development of modern technologies that are not yet used in Europe today” – he added is the president of PGŽ.
“We are always open to cooperation with the Finns, but under reasonable conditions,” Chwałek said. He assured that in case of termination of cooperation with the Finns, “issues of use, modernization, modification and maintenance of manufactured cars will be ensured for decades, longer than these cars should be used”.
According to Juliusz Sabak of Defence24, the Rosomak needs to be serviced and repaired in the next few years. “These capabilities should be guaranteed, for example, due to the use of Rosomak in the armed forces, which does not end with the expiration of the license – military vehicles are in service for 30 years or longer. Compared to the Finnish prototype, Rosomak has been modified in more than a hundred elements, i.e. many components are actually designed exclusively for the Polish version and the license is not so important there, although it is related to the design of the vehicle itself – he noted.
He noted that this year “70 Rosomaks with a new, unmanned turret were ordered, which means that the Ministry of Defense plans to use these vehicles for a long time and has certainly guaranteed the possibility of their restoration, repair or modification”.
The military uses the vehicle in various versions, including a 30 mm gun, as a medical evacuation vehicle; eventually, among other things, a command variant and armed with a mortar. The Wolverine can also be armed with a remote control turret developed in Poland. The vehicle was used by the Polish contingent in Afghanistan. Licensed production was located at Wojskowe Zakłady Mechaniczne in Siemianowice Śląskie, currently Rosomak SA. The company is part of PGŽ.
