Poland Expands Production of Krab Howitzers
Poland's Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has signed a letter of intent to co-finance the construction of a second production line for Krab self-propelled howitzers. This source of pride for the Polish defense industry will also be manufactured in Gliwice.
This development was reported by Wprost.
From September 5th to 8th, the 31st International Defense Industry Exhibition is taking place in the Polish city of Kielce. It is one of Europe's largest exhibitions, showcasing the latest advancements in the defense industry from around the world. This year, over 700 participants from 35 countries are taking part in the exhibition.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, along with Sebastian Chwalek, the President of the Polish Armaments Group, signed a protocol on co-financing the construction of a second production line for self-propelled Krab howitzers. Currently, these machines are manufactured at the Huta Stalowa Wola plant, and the new production facility will be established at Zaklady Mechaniczne "Bumar-Labedy" in Gliwice.
According to the signed letter of intent, the investment in expanding production will amount to 850 million Polish zlotys (almost $200 million). Morawiecki emphasized that "Krab" howitzers have proven their effectiveness in combat against Russian forces in Ukraine.
"These funds will allow us to equip new production workshops so that, as soon as we can organize the technological process, around 50 Krabs will be produced at Bumar-Labedy. This is weaponry that is currently in high demand among European countries and worldwide. It is a thoroughly tested, precision weapon of Polish manufacture in collaboration with manufacturers from around the world," stated the Prime Minister.
The Krab self-propelled howitzer is a product of Polish technical ingenuity based on foreign solutions. They are currently produced at the Huta Stalowa Wola defense industry plant. The tracked chassis is licensed from South Korea, and the 155mm howitzer is a modification of British design. The maximum firing range with standard ammunition is 40 kilometers. Krab can fire six rounds per minute.
On May 29, 2022, Poland delivered three batteries, totaling 18 Krab self-propelled howitzers, to Ukraine. The Polish military also trained 100 Ukrainian servicemembers to operate this weaponry.
On June 1, 2022, Ukraine signed an agreement to purchase an additional approximately 60 units of the 155mm self-propelled Krab artillery systems. Deliveries will take place over several months, as the production capacity is 20-30 units per year. The agreement is valued at around 3 billion Polish zlotys (almost $700 million), and Ukraine became the first export customer for this type of weaponry. It's worth noting that part of the expenses for 54 Krabs was covered by the European Union, as revealed by open sources.
The government, led by the "Law and Justice" party, aims to make the Polish Armed Forces the most powerful land army in Europe.
"In the face of Russia's full-scale, barbaric aggression against Ukraine and hybrid activities on our eastern border, I hope I don't need to explain how crucial security matters are," stated Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Kaczynski emphasized that in two years, Poland will have the "most powerful land army in Europe." He underlined that the strength of the army lies not only or even primarily in its size, but in its equipment, innovation, and capabilities.