Even before the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the land forces of Poland were actively modernizing the armor corps to streamline functionality, increase capability, and fall more in line with the Western approach to waging war. This resulted in several indigenous initiatives that includes the "Borsuk" Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). The all-modern tracked design is intended as a direct replacement for the aging series of BWP-1 tracked IFVs, these being nothing more than Soviet-era BMP-1 models still in operation service with the Polish Army. The current Polish plan is to acquire 1,400 of the vehicles to complete the entire fleet. Serial production is expected to begin in 2024 by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) of Poland. To date (2023), three pilot vehicles have been completed with five on order for extensive testing.
The vehicle tips the scales at 30 tons and has a running length of 24.10 feet with a beam of 11.1 feet and a height of 10.11 feet to turret top. Internally, it houses an operating crew of three with seating for six passengers under light-to-medium protection. The turret seats the 30mm Mk44S Bushmaster II series automatic cannon and carries 2 x Israeli SPIKE-LR Anti-Tank, Guided-Missiles (ATGMs) for dealing with armored threats at range (these housed in a compartment off the right side of the turret). The vehicle also features a 7.62mm UKM-2000C anti-infantry machine gun in a co-axial mounting and 8 x 81mm smoke grenade dispensers for self-screening (this in two banks of six dischargers each, mounted to the turret "cheeks"). Headlamps are embedded at the front corners of the hull and the glacis plate is nearly horizontal to provide a basic ballistics protection effect from small arms fire and artillery spray.
Power is from a German MTU 8V199 TE20 turbo-diesel engine outputting 720 horsepower to the track-and-wheel arrangement. This sees six double-tired roadwheels seated to either side of the hull with the track-link network running from bow-to-stern. The drive sprocket is at front with the track idler at rear. Bolt-on "skirt" armor helps to protect the upper regions of the track-links to an extent. An Active Protection System (APS) delivers additional security for the entire vehicle against modern and emerging anti-tank battlefield threats.
The driver sits at front-left in typical Western fashion, the position noted for its access hatch and thick vision blocks. The gunner and commander take up positions in the hull and primarily operate the remote-controlled powered turret which gives a full 360-degree traversal. The driver's placement at front-left means the powerpack is installed at front-right. A powered door is featured at the rear of the hull for entry-exit of the fighting cabin.
The versatility of the hull design is to result in variants beyond the basic IFV model. This includes a Command and Control (C2) form, armed reconnaissance / scouting vehicle, an Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV), a dedicated Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) mobile center, a 120mm mortar carrier, a MEDEVAC vehicle, several engineering-centric models, and a mine-dispensing vehicle.
Power & Performance Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Borsuk Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
1 x MTU 8V199 TE20 turbo-diesel engine developing 720 horsepower to conventional track-and-wheel arrangement. Installed Power
40 mph 65 kph Road Speed
342 miles 550 km Range
Structure The physical qualities of the Borsuk Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
3 (MANNED) Crew
24.9 ft 7.6 meters O/A Length
11.2 ft 3.4 meters O/A Width
11.0 ft 3.34 meters O/A Height
61,729 lb 28,000 kg | 30.9 tons Weight
Armament & Ammunition Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the HSW Borsuk Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
1 x 30mm Bushmaster II Mk44S automatic cannon in front turret face.
2 x SPIKE-LR Anti-Tank, Guided-Missiles (ATGMs) on turret right face.
1 x 7.62mm UKM-2000C anti-infantry machine gun in co-axial mounting in front turret face.
8 x 81mm smoke grenade dischargers in two banks of four dischargers each at turret cheek posiions.
AMMUNITION: 300 x 30mm projectiles (estimated).
4 x ATGMs (estimated).
1,200 x 7.62mm ammunition (estimated).
8 x Smoke grenades.
Variants Notable series variants as part of the HSW Borsuk family line.
Operators Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the HSW Borsuk. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.
Total Production: 3 Units Contractor(s): Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) - Poland
[ Poland (planned) ]
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Image from the US DoD DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.
Going Further... The HSW Borsuk Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) appears in the following collections:
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