Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak approved the deal for the supply of battery modules for the Ottokar Brzoza tank destroyer for the Polish Army. The first prototypes will be ready next year.

This is reported by Defence24.

This is a matter of a contract for the implementation of the Ottokar Brzoza program, which began in 2019.

The contract was signed by the Armaments Agency and the PGZ-OTTOKAR consortium, which includes Huta Stalowa Wola, Mesko and Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne.

In addition, such an agreement covers the entire cycle from production to delivery and further modernization of weapons.

After signing the contract, Defense Minister Blaszczak emphasized that the first prototypes of tank destroyers will be ready next year and will go to the14th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment stationed in the Suwałki Gap area.

However, the first batteries will be ready approximately in 3 years. Tests will be held already in targeted military units.

“Our task is to saturate the Polish Army with such units. Each division will have anti-tank regiments (…). Our intention is that the first batteries will be ready within the next three years,” the head of the Ministry of Defense said.

Mariusz Blaszczak emphasized that, due to the new weapons, the units of the Polish army will be prepared for the realities of the modern combat environment. In addition, he noted that the war in Ukraine was a factor in the development of the Ottokar Brzoza program and led to the acceleration of the re-equipment of the Polish army with anti-tank weapons.

The Ottokar-Brzoza tank destroyers

The Ottokar Brzoza program was announced in 2019. Several Polish companies are interested in its implementation. Various versions of the tank destroyer were presented at the arms exhibitions. However, the final contract was signed only now.

It is known that the Polish tank destroyer will be equipped with guided missiles Brimstone (MBDA UK). The carrier was chosen to be a 4×4 wheeled armored vehicle offered by the company Huta Stalowa Wola SA in cooperation with Autosan and the Czech partner Tatra Export sro.

The detailed configuration of the components will be determined at the stage of concluding additional contracts. However, it is known that tank destroyers, command vehicles and artillery reconnaissance vehicles will be mounted on 4×4 vehicles provided by the Polish defense industry, while other mobile components will use JELCZ platforms.

It is noted that each battery will have 8 tank destroyers, one salvo will consist of 8 Brimstone missiles.

The battery will also have 1 battery commander vehicle, 2 platoon commander vehicles, 2 ammunition transport vehicles, 2 reconnaissance vehicles, 2 medical evacuation vehicles, 1 universal repair shop, 1 universal weapon container vehicle, and an electronics workshop.