Modernisation solution for BWR-1S reconnaissance combat vehicle

Wojskowe Zakłady Mechaniczne (WZM) presented a modernisation solution for the BWR-1S (Bojowy Wóz Rozpoznawczy) reconnaissance combat vehicle, which is used by various units of the Polish Army, at MSPO 2017.

In 2016, Poland announced that it wants to overhaul and modernize them. According to plans from last year, the Polish BWR-1 is expected to receive new communication, new opto-electronics and new radars. Poland has two types of BWR-1 in service: 22 BWR-1Ds (Soviet BRM-1Ks), which were procured in 1987, and 16x BWR-1S (Czechoslovak BPzV Svetava), received in the early 1990s. Both are equipped with an obsolete 2A28 GROM 73mm low-pressure smoothbore semi-automatic gun and PSNR-5K radars.

A vehicle presented during MSPO 2017 is equipped with the ZIG-T-2 integrated thermal day/night camera designed for observation and targeting. It additionally has two TV cameras and a range finder (up to 8 km), along with the SR HAWK (V)2E Ground Surveillance Radar (Ku-Band), which can simultaneously track up to 350 various targets. Old observation-targeting sights have been replaced by new ones in a passive mode. The vehicle is also equipped with Safran JIM LR long-range thermal binoculars.

The old communication system has been replaced by Radmor RRC-9311 AP tactical VHF radios and Harris AN/PRC-150(C) multiband tactical radio system of the FALCON III family. The vehicle is to be equipped also with two FALCON III’s narrowband-compatible portable radios: AN/PRC-117G and AN/PRC-152A, and with INS/GPS navigation (GPS DAGR – Honeywell TALIN 5000). Another add-on is the SSP-1 OBRA-3 laser warning system (integrated with the 902A smoke grenade launchers). It is planned that a modernized BWR-1S will receive the BERBERYS-C multi-spectral camouflage.

At the current stage, any replacement of the 2A28 GROM cannon is not planned.

Robert Czulda