Supplier of High-Mobility Vehicles for the Polish Air-Mobile Units Selected

The Armament Inspectorate of the Polish MoD announced that the best offer has been selected, within the framework of negotiated procurement procedure concerning high mobility vehicles and special-purpose trailers for the air mobile units. The acquired equipment needs to be tailored to being dropped on a parachute. The procedure was first announced back in July 2017.

Offer placed by contractors that submitted a joint proposal was indicated as the one that is most beneficial. The consortium involves entities as follows: KAFAR Bartłomiej Sztukiert based in Zielonka, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski-based HIBNERYT company, Siedlce-based Auto Podlasie company, Warsaw-based Auto Special company, Sobiesław Zasada branch. The offer placed by the consortium received most points during the assessment - 94,8 (Price: 60 points; guarantee: 20 points; ground clearance of the vehicle and of the trailer: 7,64 points; power output: 10 points).

Let us recall the fact that delivery of 55 vehicles as such, along with 105 trailers, is scheduled to take place between 2019 and 2022. Price proposed by the winners of the procurement procedure has been set at the level of PLN 33 million.

According to the requirements defined by the military, all of the vehicles delivered need to be new. Total allowable weight must not be higher than 3.5 tonnes, while the vehicle shall offer a capability to carry at least 1.2 tonnes of payload. The vehicles, as well as the trailers, need to be tailored for being transported via land routes, sea routes and via airlift. This also applies to the option of transporting the procured equipment on a Type V Platform Delivery System (PDS) for dropping the vehicles from an aircraft. Option shall also be provided for the vehicles to be transported as underslung load by the helicopters.

The platform should be fitted with an engine that would offer power output of at least 55 kW/75 HP. Furthermore, the vehicle should feature a hook that would allow to tow two fully equipped trailers or other trailers or towed artillery assets. The vehicle shall also have a winch at its disposal, with pulling force no weaker than 50% of the total allowable weight and cable length of at least 20 metres. The winch should make it possible for the crew to pull payload onto the vehicle and provide self-recovery capabilities.

The release issued by the Inspectorate does not specify the manufacturer of the vehicle that has been selected. Considering the current offer though, special-purpose variants of VW or Toyota vehicles could be the potential choice here.

The Armament Inspectorate has announced it back on October that four bidders remain interested in working on the potential order. The remaining proposals were submitted by: 

• Dom Samochodowy Germaz - offer worth more than PLN 72 million (gross);
• Consortium involving entities as follows: Szczęśniak Pojazdy Specjalne and Marvel - offer worth more than PLN 51 million;
• Consortium involving the Polish Defence Holding (PHO) and the Concept company - offer worth more than PLN 39 million;