KTO Rosomak: Polish IFV/APC for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki announced that Ukraine ordered from Poland 100 KTO Rosomak armored personnel carriers, the production of which will be financed by the EU and the USA.
“The Ukrainian army will buy from us 100 Rosomak, which are produced in Siemianowice Śląskie. Rosomak are personal carriers of the highest quality. The purchase will be paid for with EU and US money,” wrote Mr. Morawiecki.
The prime minister’s words were confirmed by the official account of the manufacturer Rosomak S.A.
Zakładach Rosomak S.A. plant, which is part of the state defense company Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), will produce combat equipment.
It is interesting that, in addition to KTO Rosomak, modern Borsuk IFVs are also produced in Poland, which use a modified chassis of Korean K9 self-propelled guns and a ZSSW-30 unmanned turret. But Ukraine chose Rosomak.
KTO Rosomak (Kołowy Transporter Opancerzony – wheeled armored transporter) is a licensed version of the Finnish Patria AMV modular armored personnel carrier. Poland ordered 690 Patria AMVs back in 2002, on the condition that production be localized on its own territory. Almost all military contracts signed by the Polish government provide for localization and this is a very correct decision. In 2013, the contract was extended to 997 machines of various types. KTO Rosomak, together with Borsuk IFV, should replace all Soviet BMP-1 and Czechoslovak OT-64 SKOT in the Polish ground forces.
Like the original modular Patria AMVs, Polish KTO Rosomak are manufactured in various configurations. The most common Rosomak IFVs with a 30mm Oto Melara Hitfist-30P turret with an advanced fire control system, a thermal sight, and an Obra laser warning system. During the war in Afghanistan, the Polish contingent used a modified version of the Rosomak M1M IFV with additional armour.
The Rosomak APC variants, and it looks like they were ordered by Ukraine, have M2 and M3 indexes and are equipped with open turrets with a 40-mm Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher or a 12.7-mm NSV-12.7 Utyos machine gun.
In addition, there are other variants of KTO Rosomak: Rosomak-S, which transports two teams armed with Israeli Spike ATGM; medical evacuation Rosomak-WEM; Rosomak-WRT technical reconnaissance APC; Rosomak-WSRiD multisensory reconnaissance and supervision system; Rosomak-WD command vehicle; 120-mm M120K Rak mortar artillery vehicle, and Rosomak-NJ training vehicle.
It is not yet known which versions of the KTO Rosomak Ukraine ordered. But in any case, modern IFV/APCs are absolutely needed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine for many tasks. And of course, Ukraine will need them even after the victory. So thank you Poland, the USA, and the EU.
KTO Rosomak technical specifications
Mass – 22 tons
Length – 7.7 m
Width – 2.8 m
Height – 2.3 m
Crew – 3 (commander, driver, gunner)
Landing – 8
Main armament: 1 × 30 mm Oto Melara Hitfist-30P gun or ATK Mk44 Bushmaster II (Rosomak M1); 1 × 12.7 mm NSV-12.7 machine gun (M2); 1 × 40mm Mk 19 grenade launcher in Rosomak M3
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.62mm NATO UKM-2000C coaxial general-purpose machine gun
Engine – DI 12 Scania diesel
Power – 360 kW (480 hp) or 405 kW (543 hp)
Wheelbase – 8×8
Operational range – 800 km
Maximum speed – 100 km/h (on land), up to 10 km/h (on water)