View source for Engineering:Borsuk (infantry fighting vehicle)

{{Short description|Polish infantry fighting vehicle}}
{{Infobox weapon
| is_vehicle         = yes
| name               = IFV Borsuk
| image              = BWP Borsuk - 221114-Z-YU201-1007.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = Borsuk during the 2022 state trials
| type               = [[Engineering:Infantry fighting vehicle|Infantry fighting vehicle]]
| origin             = {{wipe|Poland}}
| service            = 
| designer           = Consortium led by HSW
| manufacturer       = HSW
| length             = 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
| width              = 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
| height             = {{plainlist|
*Overall: 3.34 m (10 ft 11.5 in)
*Turret ceiling: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
}}
| primary_armament   = {{plainlist|
*30mm [[Engineering:Mk44 Bushmaster II|Mk44S Bushmaster II]] [[Engineering:Autocannon|autocannon]]
*2× Spike-LR [[Engineering:Anti-tank guided missile|anti-tank guided missile]]
}}
| secondary_armament = {{plainlist|
*[[Engineering:7.62×51mm NATO|7.62mm]] [[Engineering:UKM-2000|UKM-2000C]] coaxial [[Engineering:Machine gun|machine gun]]
*8× 81mm GAk-81 smoke grenades
}}
| engine             = [[Company:MTU Friedrichshafen|MTU]] 8V199 TE20 turbo diesel
| engine_power       = 720 hp (530 kW)
| suspension         = [[Engineering:Hydropneumatic suspension|hydropneumatic]]
| transmission       = Perkins X300
| speed              = {{plainlist|
*Road: 65 km/h (40.4 mph)
*Water: 8 km/h (5 mph)
}}
| vehicle_range      = 550 km (340 mi)
| number             = 5 (prototypes)
| weight             = 28 [[Tonne|tonne]]s (30.9 [[Short ton|short ton]]s)
| crew               = {{plainlist|
*3 (commander, gunner, driver)
*6 troopers
}}
| pw_ratio           = 25.7 hp/t (18.9 kW/t)
}}
'''Borsuk''' ({{wipe|Poland}} for [[Biology:Badger|Badger]]) is an amphibious [[Engineering:Infantry fighting vehicle|infantry fighting vehicle]] produced by Huta Stalowa Wola, a part of PGZ (Polish Armaments Group). It is designed to replace the BWP-1 IFV that has been in service with the Polish Armed Forces since 1973 but is now obsolete.

Although often referred to as '''BWP Borsuk''', ''BWP'' is not an official part of the name but rather an abbreviation of ''Bojowy Wóz Piechoty'', the Polish term for infantry fighting vehicles.

== Development  ==

=== History ===
[[File:Borsuk demonstrator MSPO17b.jpg|thumb|First demonstrator of the Borsuk,MSPO 2017 |left]]
The Borsuk IFV emerged from NBPWP Borsuk (''Nowy Bojowy, Pływający Wóz Piechoty Borsuk'' - "New Infantry Amphibious Fighting Vehicle Borsuk") development program initiated in October 2014, when a contract was signed between the [[Organization:National Centre for Research and Development|NCBR]] and a [[Organization:Consortium|consortium]] consisting of Huta Stalowa Wola [[Finance:S.A. (corporation)|S.A.]] (leader), Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych OBRUM [[Finance:Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością|Sp. z o.o.]], Rosomak S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne S.A., Wojskowe Zakłady Inżynieryjne S.A. (currently HSW), Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne S.A., National Defense University (currently War Studies University), Military University of Technology, Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej and Warsaw University of Technology aiming at the development of a new IFV. The value of the contract was 75 million PLN (22.6 USD). 62 million PLN  (18.68 million USD) was a grant from the NCBR.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Kiński |first=Andrzej |date=September 2022 |title=Borsuki rosną w Stalowej Woli |journal=Wojsko I Technika |volume=8 |issue=9 |pages=22–26 |via=ZBiAM}}</ref>

The vehicle is equipped with the ZSSW-30 unmanned turret developed under its own program by a consortium of HSW and WB Group.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Frag Out! Magazine - Frag Out! Magazine #34 PL |url=https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1393979-frag-out-magazine-34-pl/55? |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=fragout.uberflip.com}}</ref>

The first technology demonstrator of the new Borsuk IFV was unveiled at the MSPO 2017 exhibition with a more refined version being shown a year later. The 2018 variant differed from the original demonstrator by having side skirts, [[Engineering:Vehicle armour|appliqué armor]] on the sides and composite rubber [[Engineering:Continuous track|tracks]] (CRT) instead of steel link ones.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=MSPO 2017: Premiera Borsuka {{!}} Defence24 |url=https://defence24.pl/mspo-2017-premiera-borsuka |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=defence24.pl |language=pl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MSPO 2018: Pancerny Borsuk nabiera kształtów |url=https://defence24.pl/przemysl/mspo-2018-pancerny-borsuk-nabiera-ksztaltow |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=defence24.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

In 2018 the prototype underwent its first set of factory trials which resulted in introduction of additional upgrades. The new version presented in 2019 at MSPO exhibition had redesigned trim vane (it now rises from the top of the hull instead of the front as before), new headlights, different add-on armor and mounting points for mobile [[Engineering:Multi-spectral camouflage|multispectral camouflage]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pawłowski |first=Andrzej |date=2019-09-03 |title=MSPO: Prototyp Borsuka na horyzoncie |url=https://www.konflikty.pl/technika-wojskowa/na-ladzie/mspo-prototyp-borsuka-na-horyzoncie/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Konflikty.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>

In September 2020 the prototype successfully completed a series of extensive military hands-on trials conducted at Drawsko Training Ground (including a set of firing tests).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pawłowski |first=Andrzej |date=2020-10-23 |title=Borsuk na poligonie w Drawsku Pomorskim |url=https://www.konflikty.pl/aktualnosci/wiadomosci/borsuk-na-poligonie-w-drawsku-pomorskim/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Konflikty.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref> Preparation of the technical documentation of the vehicle for future production begun at the same time.

Construction of four additional prototypes was commissioned by NCBR in April 2022, which raised the development cost to 262.06 million PLN, of which 242.2 million PLN (58.7 and 54.3 million USD respectively at the exchange rate at that time) was financed by NCBR.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pacholski |first=Łukasz |date=2022-04-27 |title=Umowa na cztery kolejne Borsuki |url=https://zbiam.pl/umowa-na-cztery-kolejne-borsuki/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Wydawnictwo militarne ZBIAM |language=pl-PL}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In November 2022 presentation and familiarization tests of Borsuk took place at the Orzysz Training Ground. They were witnessed by Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak, HSW officials and the media. During the presentation it was announced that the qualification trials are expected to be completed by mid-2023 and that the 16th Mechanised Division will be the first recipient of the new vehicle. The same announcement also suggested that other types of ATGMs will be integrated with the ZSSW-30 turret and that the Borsuk's chassis will become a base for additional specialized vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bojowy wóz piechoty Borsuk na testach w 15 Brygadzie |url=https://www.wojsko-polskie.pl/au/articles/aktualnosci/bojowy-woz-piechoty-borsuk-na-testach-w-15-brygadzie/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=www.wojsko-polskie.pl}}</ref>

On February 28, 2023, the Armaments Agency (the procurement agency of the Polish MoD) signed a framework agreement with Huta Stalowa Wola for the delivery of 1,000 Borsuk IFVs and 400 auxiliary variants based the same chassis. Among those variants are [[Engineering:Reconnaissance vehicle|combat reconnnaissance vehicle]], command vehicle, [[Engineering:Armoured recovery vehicle|armored recovery vehicle]], MEDEVAC vehicle, and NBC reconnnaissance vehicle.<ref name=":7" /> In this manner Borsuk will become a new fighting platform for the Polish Armed Forces and thus, in the Polish sources, is now often referred to as UMPG (Uniwersalna Modułowa Platforma Gąsienicowa - Universal Modular Tracked Platform, not to be confused with the [[Engineering:WPB Anders|Anders]] platform also referred to as UMPG).<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Umowa ramowa na dostawy NBPWP Borsuk |url=http://dziennikzbrojny.pl/aktualnosci/news,1,11754,aktualnosci-z-polski,umowa-ramowa-na-dostawy-nbpwp-borsuk |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=DziennikZbrojny.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

According to the information provided by Col. Piotr Paluch during the meeting of the Standing Subcommittee for the Polish Defense Industry and Technical Modernization of the Polish Armed Forces (Podkomisja Stała do Spraw Polskiego Przemysłu Obronnego oraz Modernizacji Technicznej Sił Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, or OBN05S in short) which took place on July 6, 2023, the price of the Borsuk prototype with the ZSSW-30 turret was estimated at 36 million PLN (around 9.2 million USD at the time) as of 2020.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Produkcja BWP Borsuk potrwa 11 lat. Pojazd będzie miał 10 specjalnych wersji |url=https://portalobronny.se.pl/przemysl-zbrojeniowy/bedzie-10-wersji-specjalnych-bwp-borsuk-produkcja-podstawowej-ma-ruszyc-w-przyszlym-roku-aa-NQ9J-Bqdq-ib2W.html |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=portalobronny.se.pl}}</ref> The first IFVs are expected to be delivered in 2024, auxiliary vehicles in 2026 and the whole program is to be completed by 2035.<ref name=":8" /> There are also plans to acquire an engine from another supplier for the Borsuk.<ref name=":8" />

=== Future ===
Currently the only existing variant of the Borsuk is the IFV variant with the ZSSW-30 turret, though the chassis (or its components) is intended to be the base for a whole family of vehicles.<ref name=":8" /> The planned variants include:[[File:BWP Borsuk 3-view.svg|thumb|3-view drawing of the Borsuk]]
* '''Borsuk -''' infantry fighting vehicle, equipped with the ZSSW-30 turret.
* '''Oset''' - command vehicle.
* '''Żuk''' - reconnaissance vehicle.
* '''Gekon''' - armored recovery vehicle.
* '''Ares''' - NBC reconnaissance vehicle.
* '''[[Engineering:M120 Rak|Rak]]''' - 120mm self-propelled mortar.
* '''Gotem''' - medical evacuation vehicle.
* '''Jodła GTRI''' - ''Gąsienicowy Transporter Rozpoznania Inżynieryjnego'', lit. tracked engineering reconnaissance transporter.
* '''Jodła''' '''GTWI''' - ''Gąsienicowy Transporter Wojsk Inżynieryjnych'', lit. tracked engineering transporter.
* '''Jodła''' '''TMN''' - ''Transporter Minowania Narzutowego'', lit. mine-scattering transporter. Meant to replace the [[Engineering:Opal (armoured personnel carrier)#ISM Kroton|IMS Kroton]], its mine-scattering system will likely be based on that of the Baobab-K.
* '''Jodła''' '''PTI''' - ''Pływający Transporter Inżynieryjny'', lit. amphibious engineering transporter. Will replace the [[Engineering:PTS (vehicle)|PTS-M]], likely to be a completely new hull using Borsuk components.

== Description ==
=== Mobility ===
Borsuk is powered by a [[Engineering:Powerpack (drivetrain)|powerpack]] consisting of a 720&nbsp;hp (530&nbsp;kW) [[Company:MTU Friedrichshafen|MTU]] 8V199 TE20 [[Engineering:Turbo-diesel|turbo diesel]] engine, which drives a six gear (four forward and two reverse gears) Perkins X300 [[Engineering:Automatic transmission|automatic transmission]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSPO 2018: Poznańskie power-packi dla wozów bojowych |url=https://defence24.pl/przemysl/mspo-2018-poznanskie-power-packi-dla-wozow-bojowych |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=defence24.pl |language=pl}}</ref> The running gear consists of six dual rubber-lined road wheels, with two return rollers on each side. The suspension is [[Engineering:Hydropneumatic suspension|hydropneumatic]] and consists of six Horstman InArm units on each side.<ref name=":4" /> Borsuk is able to use different type of tracks - it was presented on different occasions outfitted with steel tracks or composite rubber tracks (CRT).<ref name=":2" />

The vehicle is fully amphibious without any special preparations - crossing a body of water only requires raising the trim vane (which can be done from the driver seat without the necessity of leaving the vehicle). In the water Borsuk is propelled by two water jets with rotating nozzles and steering capability.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Unikatowy drapieżnik |url=https://polska-zbrojna.pl/home/articleshow/38456 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=polska-zbrojna.pl}}</ref>

The Borsuk's maximum speed is 65&nbsp;km/h on the road and 8&nbsp;km/h in the water. Its operational range is 550&nbsp;km.

=== Armament ===

==== ZSSW-30 ====
Borsuk is fitted with the ZSSW-30 remote control turret armed with the 30 mm [[Engineering:Mk44 Bushmaster II|Mk44S Bushmaster II]] [[Engineering:Chain gun|chain gun]] and a coaxial [[Engineering:7.62×51mm NATO|7.62 mm]] [[Engineering:UKM-2000|UKM-2000C]] [[Engineering:Machine gun|machine gun]]. The turret also features two Spike-LR [[Engineering:Anti-tank guided missile|anti-tank guided missile]]s in a launch container mounted on its right side. The ZSSW-30 provides around 300 autocannon rounds, including over 200 ABM rounds, and 250 machine gun rounds in ready to use mode. This is one of the biggest first stage ammunition racks when compared to other similar systems.<ref name=":1" /> 

Use of a separate ATGM launch container, as opposed to other systems where launcher extends directly from an internal compartment of the turret, has some advantages. Among those are separation of the missiles from the rest of the turret (and thus greater safety of the crew and the turret itself) and ability to quickly replace damaged or destroyed container while in the field.<ref name=":1" /> Both the autocannon and the machine gun can be reloaded and operated from the inside of the turret. The ATGMs can be reloaded from a hatch in the rear of the vehicle without the necessity for the crew to leave the vehicle (in the same manner as it is being done in the [[Engineering:M2 Bradley|Bradley IFV]].<ref name=":1" />

The autocannon fires at a rate of 200 [[Rate of fire|RPM]] for standard ammunition, and 120 RPM for ABM. It has elevation angles extending from -9° to +60°.<ref name=":1" /> The ATGMs can hit armour at ranges from 200 meters to 4 kilometers when guided manually, and up to 4.5 kilometers when in the fire and forget mode.<ref name=":1" />

=== Protection ===
[[File:Polish Army BWP Borsuk right side NATO Days Ostrava-2023.jpg|thumb|Borsuk with rubber tracks and a frontal appliqué armor plate, NATO Days 2023]]

==== Chassis ====
Borsuk's chassis is made out of welded Armox 500T steel plates of varying thickness<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Zbies |first=Piotr |date=30 December 2021 |title=Żądło: Inżynieria pancerzy cz. 1 - Jak chroniony jest bojowy wóz piechoty Borsuk? |url=https://2s14.blogspot.com/2021/12/inzynieria-pancerzy-cz-1-jak-chroniony.html |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Żądło}}</ref> arranged in such a way that they can function as spaced armor. This, according to official sources, gives the chassis STANAG 4569 level IV protection from the front and level III protection from the sides and the rear against ballistic threats,<ref name=":3" /> as well as level lIla and IIlb against mine blasts.<ref name=":0" /> Unofficial sources claim that Borsuk is even better armored, with its chassis being able to stop Russian 30mm 3UBR6 and 3U8R8 rounds from the frontal arc (±30° from the centerline) and 12.7mm and [[Engineering:14.5×114mm|14.5mm]] from the sides, even though the latter type may cause some damage to the engine block.<ref name=":4" /> The chassis can be up-armored as it's fitted with mounting points on the front and sides. While the side panels are fitted on since 2018, a front armor plate was first shown in the spring of 2023.<ref>{{Citation |title=BWP Borsuk |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYUcC39N1-E |access-date=2023-09-21 |language=en}}</ref>

==== Turret ====
The armor protection of the ZSSW-30 turret is not disclosed by the manufacturer, but according to unofficial sources, the armour consists of a thin layer of [[Chemistry:Polyethylene|polyethylene]] fabric sandwiched between two steel plates and an additional piece of ceramic composite armour (two steel plates with [[Chemistry:Aluminium oxide|alumina]] tiles in between) on the ATGM container.<ref name=":4" /> This provides level III protection for both the main structure and the missile container as well as level II protection for external parts like the commander sight.<ref name=":4" /> ZSSW-30 also has mounting points for add-on armor plates or camouflage nets.

==== Active protection ====
In addition to armor, Borsuk is protected by the Obra-3 soft kill active protection system. This system consists of four laser detector sets (each one consisting of three detectors), a control unit and eight smoke grenade dischargers. The detectors work in 360° azimuth and in an elevation ranging from -6° to +30° and can detect light in the wavelength spectrum ranging from 0.6 to 11&nbsp;µm<ref name=":1" /> as well as distinguish between different laser sources, such as [[Physics:Laser rangefinder|laser rangefinder]]s or [[Engineering:Laser designator|laser designator]]s.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2018-08-14 |title=SSP-1 OBRA-3 Laser warning system |url=https://pcosa.com.pl/en/ssp-1-obra-3-laser-warning-system/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=PCO S.A. |language=en-GB}}</ref> Obra-3 can work in different modes: manual, semi-automatic and automatic.<ref name=":5" /> In the automatic mode the grenades are launched automatically into the specific path an incoming laser beam (immediately after the turret is rotated in this direction, which is also done automatically). The system uses GAk-81 phosphorus multispectral smoke grenades.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Zakłady Sprzętu Precyzyjnego Niewiadów Sp. z o. o. |url=http://www.zspniewiadow.pl/produkt-4.html |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=www.zspniewiadow.pl}}</ref>

=== Situational awareness ===

==== Sensors ====
The driver of the Borsuk has access to three periscopes mounted in the hatch: a bigger one mounted centrally and two smaller ones mounted to the sides. When the trim vane is extended, it obstructs the view from the driver's periscopes, so a camera is mounted on a trim vane to provide vision for the driver when crossing water obstacles.[[File:PCO GOC-1 NIKE on IFV Borsuk at NATO Days Ostrava-2023.jpg|thumb|GOC-1 Nike gunner sight]]The vehicle is also equipped with the SOD (System Obserwacji Dookrężnej) omnidirectional observation system designed by WZE which consists of three camera modules (each with three daytime and three night vision cameras), image processing module, control computer and displays for the dismount compartment. It is integrated with the turret's FCS and allows both the crew and the dismounts to see the vehicle's surroundings. In the future the SOD system can be integrated with AR goggles for the crew and AI algorithms for faster classification of surrounding objects.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=MSPO 2023: Dookrężne oczy Borsuka |url=https://mspo.defence24.pl/na-ladzie/mspo-2023-dookrezne-oczy-borsuka |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=mspo.defence24.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

The ZSSW-30 turret is equipped with the GOD-1 Iris sight for the commander and GOC-1 Nike sight for the gunner, both of which are integrated into the turret's fire control system and consist of a laser rangefinder as well as daytime and thermal optical channels. The commander's sight is mounted on top of the turret in an armored cover and provides 360° field of view with elevation angles from -20° to 60°, and the gunners sight provides elevation angles from -10° to 60° and is mounted on the left side of the turret and can be covered by an armored door. Both are equipped with an eye-safe laser rangefinder and two optical channels: daytime, with a light intensity sensor and thermal.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=null |url=https://defence24.pl/mspo-2017-platformowe-systemy-termowizyjne-i-noktowizyjne-od-pco |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=defence24.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

The turret is also fitted with an auxiliary optical sight which is not integrated with the FCS and is meant to be used in emergency situations from inside of the turret. It is located to the right of the gunner's primary sight behind an armored cover.

==== Fire control system ====
The ZSSW-30 [[Engineering:Fire-control system|fire control system]] made by WB Group provides full hunter-killer and killer-killer capabilities as well as superb accuracy when firing at moving targets from both moving and standing position.<ref name=":1" /> The fire control system allows for shooting in every position of the turret relative to the hull in all three axis (which is not a common feature for other comparable systems).<ref name=":1" /> The entire firing process is highly automated as both the gunner and the commander have an auto-tracker integrated into the FCS. The ZSSW-30 FCS is [[Network-centric warfare|net-centric]] as it can transfer and coordinate information between different turrets as well as communicate with various types of [[Engineering:Unmanned aerial vehicle|UAVs]]. Both of those features greatly increase situational awareness and combat effectiveness of each and every vehicle.<ref name=":1" />

== See also ==

=== Comparable tracked amphibious IFVs ===

* {{annotated link|Engineering:BMP-2}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:BMP-3}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:BMD-3}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:BMD-4}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Kurganets-25}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:ZBD-03}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:ZBD-04}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Type 05 amphibious fighting vehicle|ZBD-05}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:K21}}

=== Other comparable IFVs ===
* {{annotated link|Engineering:KTO Rosomak|Rosomak}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:T-15 Armata}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:VPK-7829 Bumerang}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Marder (infantry fighting vehicle)|Marder}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Puma (IFV)|Puma}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Lynx (Rheinmetall armoured fighting vehicle)|Lynx}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Dardo IFV|Dardo}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Freccia IFV|Freccia}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Tulpar (IFV)|Tulpar}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Namer}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:Makran IFV|Makran}}
* {{annotated link|Engineering:M2 Bradley}}

== References ==
<!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. -->
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://defence24.com/industry/heavy-ifv-alongside-the-borsuk-platform Borsuk platform]



[[Category:Amphibious infantry fighting vehicles]]
[[Category:Tracked infantry fighting vehicles]]

{{Sourceattribution|Borsuk (infantry fighting vehicle)}}