Polish Armament Group Unveils New Borsuk Amphibious IFV with ZSSW 30mm Turret

The Polish Armament Group has unveiled its new amphibious infantry fighting vehicle (NAIFV) called Borsuk (Badger) fitted with the ZSSW 30mm unmanned weapon station armed with one 30 mm Bushmaster Mk 44 automatic cannon. It was designed to replace the BWP-1 IFV. Most of them were obtained from the Soviet Union, while some were locally produced under license. The Borsuk is based on a chassis derived from that of the South Korean K9 self-propelled howitzer. The Borsuk will enter service with the Polish military it is likely that a number of its variants will be developed.

The Borsuk is fitted with a remotely-controlled turret, which was developed under the ZSSW-30 program. The ZSSW-30 turret has been developed as a result of a research and development study pursued by a consortium led by HSW, with support provided by WB Electronics. The turret features a 30 mm Bushmaster Mk 44/S gun that can shoot ABM ammunition and be converted to a 40 mm caliber. It is also armed with a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and dual Spike ATGM launcher. The turret also features an advanced fire control system with an auto tracker, and two optronic systems for the gunner, and the commander (hunter-killer/killer-killer solution).

The Borsuk has a crew of three including a driver, commander, and gunner, and will have the capacity to carry a total of up to 8 military personnel. The infantry fighting vehicle will provide a high level of ballistic protection for the crews and dismounted soldiers, withstanding direct shots from firearms and rocket-propelled grenades, as well as the explosion of IEDs or mines. The Borsuk has modular armor that can be tailored depending on requirements. Conceptions of this armored vehicle, published in 2016, display the Borsuk fitted with a Ukrainian Zaslon active protection system.

The Borsuk is an amphibious tracked armored IFV that will be propelled in the water thanks to the use of two water jets mounted at the rear of the chassis. It can cross lakes and rivers afloat. It features a composite rubber track system supplied by the Canadian company Soucy Defense. It can run at a maximum road speed of 70 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km. The suspension of the Borsuk consists on either side of six road wheels with a drive sprocket at the front and an idler at the rear. Furthermore, the Borsuk vehicle will be characterized by its high maneuverability and ability to be easily transported by air or land.