KTO Rosomak
The Kołowy Transporter Opancerzony "Rosomak" (pol. Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier "Wolverine") is 8×8 multi-role military vehicle produced by Rosomak S.A. (formerly Wojskowe Zakłady Mechaniczne) in Siemianowice Śląskie, a Polish Armaments Group company. The vehicle is a licensed variant of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle.
| KTO Rosomak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Place of origin | Finland/Poland |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Poland |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 22,000 kg (49,000 lb) |
| Length | 7.7 m (25 ft) |
| Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Crew | 3(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 |
| Engine | DI 12 Scania Diesel 360 kW (480 hp) or 405 kW (543 hp) |
| Power/weight | 15.6 kW/t (21.2 PS/t) (max weight) |
| Suspension | 8×8 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
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 IFV and 377 transport/special base vehicles. In October 2013 order 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 will replace the obsolete OT-64 SKOT APCs and partially the BWP-1 IFV currently in service with the Polish Land Forces.[1]
Variants
Variants in use by Polish military
- Rosomak - Infantry fighting vehicle variant with to Oto Melara Hitfist-30P gun turret armed with 30 mm ATK Mk 44 chain gun and 7.62mm NATO UKM-2000C machine gun. The turret has advanced fire control system with thermal sight and Obra laser warning system connected to six 81 mm 902A ZM Dezamet smoke grenade launchers. Infantry fighting vehicle variant modified for war in Afghanistan was called Rosomak-M1M, it was equipped with additional steel-composite armor, upgraded communications, wire cutters in front of driver and commander hatch, video cameras showing back and sides of vehicle on two LCD screens in troop compartment, Pilar system that detects the direction of fire. Because of additional armor this variant cannot float and has no water propellers. This variant was further upgraded to standard known as M1M. Most noticeable change is addition of QinetiQ RPGNet anti RPG net and new "sand" camouflage. Other changes include installation of Duke anti IED system and Blue Force Tracking BMS system (systems on loan from US Army). All older ("green") Rosomaks in M1 standard also received RPG Net.
- Rosomak-M2 and M3 - Armored personnel carrier variant modified for mission in Afghanistan equipped with similar task equipment (including additional armor) as M1 variant. The main difference is that this variant is 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 - Armored 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) – armored ambulance vehicle with crew of 3, capable of transporting 3 injured soldiers on stretchers and an additional four in sitting position. The WEM-M variant for Afghanistan was equipped with additional armor and RPGNet same as in 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-Rak - 120mm mortar artillery vehicle, first delivered in July 2017.[2]
- Rosomak-NJ - (NJ for Nauka Jazdy – lit. Driving School)
Combat history
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- War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- The Polish Land Forces contingent, which was a part of the International Security Assistance Force operated over 100 KTO Rosomak vehicles (including 5 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 it managed to fire back and then returned to base without any help required.[3] In June 2008, a Rosomak was attacked by Taliban and was hit in its frontal armor with an RPG. The armour was not penetrated. 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
Operators
Poland is the sole user of KTO Rosomak but as the first export customer of Patria Oy AMV & WZM SA has the right to export the KTO Rosomak in some markets. In 2006 the KTO Rosomak was tested in Malaysia.
12 Brygada Zmechanizowana (12th Mechanized Brigade) - Szczecin (second user, crews of the IIIrd rotation in Afghanistan are from this unit.) 17 Wielkopolska Brygada Zmechanizowana (17th Mechanized Brigade) – Międzyrzecz (first user, vehicles and crews for the first and second rotations in Afghanistan and Chad are from this unit.)
40 AMV Patria manufactured in Poland.[4]
References
- "KTO Rosomak". Gdzie zaczyna się wojsko…. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- 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.
- "Afghanistan: 14 lipca dotrą dodatkowe pancerze dla Rosomaków". Retrieved 4 November 2014.
External links
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