American radio stations in Polish badgers. Our reinforcement is losing

The purchase of 111 badgers for PLN 6.5 billion was to be a success of the Polish arms industry. Meanwhile, the decision to install American L3harris radio stations caused a wave of criticism – experts warn that it strikes in domestic producers and may delay the contract.

At the end of March, a contract was signed for 111 Borsuk Infantry Combat Cars together with logistics and training packages, which amounts to PLN 6.5 billion. Vehicle delivery will start this year and will last until 2029. Even before the conclusion of the contract for the purchase of badgers, this car was hailed as one of the greatest engineering achievements in the recent history of Poland.

But there was a problem – at the beginning of April information appeared that the L3Harris on -board radio stations will be installed in badgers. According to WNP.pl, this contract was considered one of the most harmful to the Polish defense industry. What's more, the MON forcing of the purchase of American radio stations had an impact on delaying negotiations regarding the first executive agreement on Borsuk infantry combat vehicles.

The case is controversial because similar radio stations are already produced in Poland by Radmor, belonging to the WB group and meet NATO standards, and take into account the experience of conflict in Ukraine. So the question arises: why American and not Polish?

PiS MP Marcin Horała submitted a parliamentary interpellation to obtain information in this respect. Although he was still Mariusz Błaszczak, when he was the defense minister, in mid -December 2023 he secretly sent a letter of Request (LOR) about the possibility of buying American radio stations. We learned about it thanks to the US Department of State, which informed about the purchase of various types of radio station by Poland.

Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda answered the interpellation of MP Horała. We read in it, among others that The choice of American radio was dictated by the desire to unify the equipment with M1 Abrams tankswhich also use American production communication systems. The Ministry of Defense pointed out that this decision was aimed at increasing the interoperability of military equipment and ensuring the consistency of communication systems in the Polish Armed Forces.

Deputy Minister Bejda also announced that the first 18 vehicles intended for delivery in 2025-2026 will be equipped with Radmor radio stations, in accordance with the provisions of tactical and technical assumptions for the development project. In 2028, L3 Harris radio stations working in the VHF and KF band will be assembled, which will be factory installed from 19. All vehicles will also be equipped with personal radio stations of domestic production.

Experts do not see the sense of such a solution. Not only that American radio stations are more expensive than Polish, which increases the costs of the final order for the purchase of BWP Borsuk, but this may extend the duration of the contract for the purchase of 111 badgers.

More at wnp.pl.

Ed. Jm

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