HSW to Make Polish LEOPARD 2 Barrels

Rheinmetall and Polish company Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) have signed a contract for the licence production of parts for the Rh-120/L44 120mm tank gun, including the barrel, the latter company has announced. The agreement covers a period of 20 years and relates to the Polish LEOPARD 2A4/A5/PL/PLM1 fleet. Also included in the scope of the agreement is the intention to integrate HSW as an element of the respective Rheinmetall supply chain.  HSW gained competences to manufacture artillery barrels many years ago.

HSW is known as the biggest production plant for barrels in Poland, covering calibres from 30 to 155 millimetres.  The Polish Armed Forces received their first batch of LEOPARD 2A4s in 2002 while the second batch was delivered in 2014/15, consisting of 14 LEOPARD 2A4s and 105 2A5 variants. In December 2015, the Polish MoD signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Group and Bumar-Łabedy to upgrade 128 LEOPARD 2A4 to version 2PL (reinforced turret ballistic protection and upgraded equipment). In 2018 the contract to upgrade another 14 tanks to the 2PLM1 version was awarded.

Grzegorz Sobczak