Wikipedia

KTO Rosomak

"Rosomak" redirects here. For the company, Rosomak S.A., see Polish Armaments Group.

The KTO Rosomak (Polish: Kołowy Transporter Opancerzony Rosomak, lit. 'wheeled armored personnel carrier Wolverine') is an 8×8 multi-role military vehicle produced by Rosomak S.A., a Polish Armaments Group company, in Siemianowice Śląskie. The vehicle is a licensed variant of the Finnish Patria AMV.

KTO Rosomak
Polish Army KTO Rosomak
A KTO Rosomak wheeled APC with a Hitfist-30P turret.
Typearmored personnel carrier
Place of origin Finland
 Poland
Service history
Used bySee Operators
WarsWar in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
Russo-Ukrainian War
Specifications
Mass22,000 kg (49,000 lb)
Length7.7 m (25 ft)
Width2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Height2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Crew3 (commander, driver, gunner)
8 passengers
Main
armament
1 × 30×173 mm ATK Mk44 Bushmaster II gun
1 × 12.7 mm WKM-B or 1 × 40mm Mk 19 in Rosomak M3
Secondary
armament
1 × 7.62×51mm NATO UKM-2000C coaxial general purpose machine gun
EngineDI 12 Scania diesel or DC 13 Scania diesel
360 kW (480 hp) or 405 kW (543 hp) (DI 12) or 610 hp (450 kW) (DC 13)
Power/weight15.6 kW/t (21.2 PS/t) (max weight)
Suspension8×8 wheeled
Operational
range
800 km (500 mi)
Maximum speed over 100 km/h (60 mph) on land
up to 10 km/h (6.2 mph) in water

History

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In December 2002, the Polish Ministry of National Defense signed a contract to buy 690 Patria AMV vehicles, to be manufactured in Poland. The main competitors of the AMV were the MOWAG Piranha and Steyr Pandur. As part of the initial order, 690 vehicles were to be delivered in two basic variants: 313 combat Armoured Personnel Carriers and 377 transport-special base vehicles. In October 2013, the order was increased to 997, for delivery between 2014 and 2019.

The name "Rosomak", Polish for "Wolverine", was chosen following a contest organized by the Nowa Technika Wojskowa magazine. The Rosomak replaced the obsolete OT-64 SKOT Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and partially the BMP-1 in service with the Polish Land Forces.[1]

It uses the HGPST GPS receiver, from Hertz Systems.

The first export customer of Patria, AMV & WZM SA has the right to export the KTO Rosomak in some markets. In 2006 the KTO Rosomak was tested in Malaysia.[2] In 2023 Poland began supplying the KTO Rosomak to Ukraine, where it has seen battle.[3]

Variants

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Variants in use by Polish military

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  • Rosomak - infantry fighting vehicle with an Oto Melara Hitfist-30P gun turret armed with a 30 mm ATK Mk 44 chain gun and 7.62mm NATO UKM-2000C machine gun. The turret has advanced fire control systems with thermal sights and an Obra laser warning system connected to six 81 mm 902A ZM Dezamet smoke grenade launchers. A variant modified for war in Afghanistan was called "Rosomak"-M1M, equipped with additional steel-composite armour, upgraded communications, wire cutters in front of driver and commander hatch, video cameras showing the back and sides of vehicle on two LCD screens in troop compartment, and a Pilar system that detects the direction of fire. Because of additional armor, this variant cannot float and has no water propellers. The variant was further upgraded to a standard known as M1M. The most noticeable change was the addition of QinetiQ RPGNet anti-RPG net and new "sand" camouflage. Other changes included installation of Duke anti-IED system and Blue Force Tracking BMS system (systems on loan from the US Army). All older ("green") M1 standard Rosomaks also received RPGNet.
  • Rosomak - infantry fighting vehicle with Polish designed ZSSW-30 unmanned turret armed with a 30 mm gun Mk 44S, 7.62 mm UKM-2000C machine gun and two Spike-LR ATGM. 128 were ordered by 2024, and first were delivered in December 2023.[4]
  • Rosomak -M2 and M3 - Armoured personnel carrier variant modified for missions in Afghanistan equipped with similar task equipment (including additional armour) to the M1 variant. The main difference is that this variant was equipped with OSS-D open turret with 40 mm Mk-19 grenade launcher or 12.7 mm NSW/WKM-B heavy machine gun.
  • Rosomak-S - Armoured personnel carrier variant for two anti-tank teams armed with Spike anti-tank guided missile.
  • Rosomak-WEM - (WEM for Wóz Ewakuacji Medycznej – lit. "medical evacuation vehicle") – armoured ambulance vehicle with crew of 3, capable of transporting 3 injured soldiers on stretchers and an additional four in a sitting position. The WEM-M variant for Afghanistan was equipped with additional arymor and RPGNet, as with the M1M variant.
  • Rosomak-WRT - (WRT for Wóz Rozpoznania Technicznego – lit. "technical reconnaissance vehicle")
  • Rosomak-WSRiD - (WSRiD for Wielosensorowy System Rozpoznania i Dozoru – lit. "multisensory reconnaissance and supervision system")
  • Rosomak-AWD - (AWD for Artyleryjski Wóz Dowodzenia – lit. "artillery command vehicle") – Command vehicle for M120K Rak mortar company fire module[5]
  • Rosomak-WD - (WD for Wóz Dowodzenia – lit. "command vehicle")[6]
  • M120K Rak - 120 mm mortar artillery vehicle, first delivered in July 2017[7]
  • Rosomak-NJ - (NJ for Nauka Jazdy – lit. "driving school")

Planned variants

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  • Rosomak-L - a variant with an extended hull (increasing overall length by 0.6 m from 7.8 m to 8.4 m), while also featuring other improvements such as new Scania DC13 engine, larger fuel tanks, new water-jet propulsion propellers, an upgraded hatch for the driver-mechanic, improved rearview mirrors, and a water deflector shield. Primary design goal of this variant was to increase buoyancy to restore amphibious capabilities compromised by the added weight of the new ZSSW-30 turret. A contract for 174 units is scheduled for forth quarter of 2024, with deliveries planned for the 2027-2029 time period.[8][9]
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Combat history

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A Rosomak-M1M APC equipped with additional Q-Net stand-off armour, patrols the Afghan city of Ghazni in 2010.
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

The Polish Land Forces contingent, part of the International Security Assistance Force, operated over 100 KTO Rosomak vehicles, including five medevac versions, during the Afghanistan War. The APCs were equipped with additional steel-composite armor. In early 2008, a Polish Rosomak serving in Afghanistan, the version with upgraded armor, was attacked by the Taliban. The vehicle was hit by RPG-7 rockets, but managed to fire back and returned to base without requiring assistance.[10]

In June 2008, the Taliban attacked a Rosomak with an RPG, hitting it in its frontal armor without penetrating it. In 2009, the first soldier was reported killed while traveling in a Rosomak after an improvised explosive device exploded under the vehicle, which rolled over and crushed the gunner who had been standing in the open turret. Similar attacks had occurred before but had failed to inflict casualties.

European Union mission in Chad (2007–2008)
European Union Force Chad/CAR
Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022-)
  • The Polish government announced in April 2023 it would provide the Ukrainian government with 200 KTO Rosomak. It was reported that the Ukrainian army’s 21st Mechanized Brigade began receiving the first batch of these 25-ton, eight-wheel APCs in July 2023.[11]
  • According to Oryx blog at least 5 such units were destroyed and 1 was damaged during the ongoing Ukraine War.[12]

Operators

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Map with KTO Rosomak operators in blue

Current operators

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  •   Poland: 903 in different versions, as of 2020.[2]
  •   United Arab Emirates: 40 AMV Patria manufactured in Poland.[13]
  •   Ukraine: 200 KTO Rosomaks. 100 to be delivered immediately in 2023, 100 on order.[14][15] The order was to be financed from the United States and the European Union funds.[16][17]

Failed bids

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  •   Slovenia: competition for up to 106 APC with a budget of €700 million after rejecting the contract for the Boxer. The finalists of the competition are the Piranha V, the Freccia, the Rosomak L and the Patria AMVXP.[18] Initially the Rosomak was considered, but issues were experienced with getting the certification for the vehicles' undercarriage. In the end Patria AMVxp was chosen.[19][20]

See also

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Comparable vehicles

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References

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  1. ^ "KTO Rosomak". Gdzie zaczyna się wojsko…. 19 September 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Po epoce Rosomaka czas na Borsuka?". DziennikZbrojny.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  3. ^ Administrator. "Polish Rosomak 8x8 Armored Vehicles Used in Ukraine Show High Protecti". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Dodatkowy batalion Rosomaków z ZSSW-30". Nowa Technika Wojskowa (in Polish). No. 7/2024. July 2024. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Wóz Dowodzenia kompanijnego modułu ogniowego 120 MM — Rosomak Spółka Akcyjna w Siemianowicach Śląskich". www.rosomaksa.pl. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Rosomaki WD przekazane". www.milmag.pl (in Polish). 2 October 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. ^ Wilk, Remigiusz (3 July 2017). "Poland receives first Rak 120 mm mortar vehicles". IHS Jane's 360. Warsaw. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Poland Could Acquire Upgraded Rosomak-L Armored Personnel Carriers". armyrecognition.com. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Poland to sign major contracts for Rosomak APC fitted with new ZSSW-30 turret". armyrecognition.com. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Afghanistan: 14 lipca dotrą dodatkowe pancerze dla Rosomaków". Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  11. ^ Axe, David. "Polish-Made Fighting Vehicles Have Arrived In Ukraine". Forbes. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Attack on Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During the Russian Invasion of Ukraine".
  13. ^ "Rosomaki z Polski dla Zjednoczonych Emiratów Arabskich. Zakończono dostawę 40 wozów". 21 June 2016.
  14. ^ President.gov.ua. "President of Ukraine: message to the nation".
  15. ^ Oryx. "A European Powerhouse: Polish Military Aid To Ukraine". Oryx. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Polska Zbrojna". www.polska-zbrojna.pl. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Ukraina kupuje od polskich zakładów 150 Rosomaków, trzy kompanijne moduły Rak, 100 pocisków do zestawów Piorun". www.gazetaprawna.pl (in Polish). 5 April 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  18. ^ "The Slovenia Times". sloveniatimes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  19. ^ "The Slovenia Times". sloveniatimes.com. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  20. ^ "(Pre)dragi boxerji in vrnitev k Patrii | 24ur.com". www.24ur.com (in Slovenian). Retrieved 14 August 2024.
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