KTO Rosomak

The KTO Rosomak (Kołowy Transporter Opancerzony Rosomak) (pol. wheeled armored personnel carrier Wolverine) is an 8×8 multi-role military vehicle produced by Rosomak S.A. (formerly Wojskowe Zakłady Mechaniczne) in Siemianowice Śląskie (Upper Silesia), a Polish Armaments Group company. The vehicle is a licensed variant of Patria's armored modular vehicle.

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 IFVs and 377 transport-special base vehicles. In October 2013 the 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 replaced the obsolete OT-64 SKOT APCs and partially the BWP-1 IFV currently in service with the Polish Land Forces.

Variants

Variants in use by Polish military

* ''Rosomak'' - Infantry fighting vehicle variant with an Oto Melara Hitfist-30P gun turret armed with a 30 mm ATK Mk 44 chain gun and 7.62mm NATO UKM-2000C machine gun. The turret has advanced fire control systems with thermal sights and an 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. Since 2022 Rosomak will be produced with ZSSW-30 unmanned turret armed with 30mm gun, UKM-2000 machine gun and Spike ATGM.
* ''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-AWD'' - ''(AWD for ''Artyleryjski Wóz Dowodzenia'' – lit. "artillery command vehicle") – Command vehicle for M120K Rak mortar company fire module
* ''Rosomak-WD'' - (WD for ''Wóz Dowodzenia'' – lit. "command vehicle")
*''M120K Rak'' - 120 mm mortar artillery vehicle, first delivered in July 2017.
* ''Rosomak-NJ'' - (NJ for ''Nauka Jazdy'' – lit. "driving school")

Gallery

File:Artyleryjski Wóz Dowodzenia (AWD) na podzwoziu KTO Rosomak modułu batalionowego "Rak" podczas testów odbiorczych. Poligon Nowa Dęba 2019.jpg, Rosomak-AWD
File:KTO Rosomak in Afghanistan.jpg, KTO Rosomak
File:EUFOR, 2009-02-17, współdziałanie kawalerii, KTO Rosomak, Mi-17, 01.jpg, Rosomak-M2
File:KTO Rosomak-WEM.jpg, Rosomak-WEM
File:Tag der polnischen Streikräfte (48616742787).jpg, Rosomak-WD
File:SMK 120mm RAK, testy, poligon Nowa Dęba 2019 01.jpg, M120K Rak
File:Rosomak WRT IMGP3235.JPG, Rosomak-WRT
File:Przekazanie pierwszych KTO Rosomak 03.jpg, Basic KTO Rosomak

Combat history

;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 five 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. 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 the KTO ''Rosomak'', but as the first export customer of Patria, AMV & WZM SA has the right to export the KTO ''Rosomak'' in some markets. In 2006 the KTO ''Rosomak'' was tested in Malaysia.
;
Polish Land Forces - 903 in different versions (as of 2020)
;
Forty AMV Patria manufactured in Poland

See also

Comparable vehicles

* Stryker
* LAV III/ LAV AFV/LAV-25/ ASLAV
* K808 Armored Personnel Carrier
* Tusan AFV
* Boxer
* Freccia IFV
* BTR-90
* CM-32
* Type 96 Armored Personnel Carrier
** Type 16 maneuver combat vehicle
* Patria AMV
* BTR-4
* Saur 2
* VBCI
* FNSS Pars
* MOWAG Piranha

References

External links

Armoured Modular Vehicles (include KTO Rosomak) on Rosomak official webpage

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017

Wheeled armoured fighting vehicles
Military vehicles of Poland
Armoured fighting vehicles of Poland
Armoured fighting vehicles of the post–Cold War period
Eight-wheeled vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s