Mechanical Works BUMAR-LABĘDY в год 70-летия
In recent years, Zakłady Mechaniczne “BUMAR-ŁABĘDY” SA has focused its activities on comprehensive support for the operation of equipment of the Polish Armed Forces. Key projects of this type include: restoring combat capability and upgrading to 2 standard Leopard 1PL/PLM142 Leopard 2A4 MBTs; overhaul and modification of T-72M/M1 tanks to the T-72M1R model; overhaul and maintenance of the main battle tanks PT-91; overhaul and current repairs of technical support vehicles VZT-2 and VZT-3M.
In the previous issue of "Wojska i Techniki", we presented the 70-year history of Zakłady Mechaniczne "BUMAR-ŁABĘDY" SA through the prism of subsequent products implemented in them for the production, mainly of medium and basic tanks and vehicles that support activities based on them. and caterpillar tractors. For the time being, we will focus on aspects only indicated in this text, i.e. today's plant in Labendy and the projects it is currently implementing, arising from contracts signed with the Ministry of National Defense in recent years.
The last production heavy tracked vehicles made from scratch were built by Zakłady Mechaniczne “BUMAR-ŁABĘDY” SA in the previous decade, which does not mean that they suffer from a lack of work. Of course, each manufacturer strives to introduce completely new products, but it should be remembered that today, in a peaceful period, an equally important area of activity for defense enterprises is the comprehensive operation of their own military equipment, as well as similar orders made for foreign contractors. It is this type of service that has been the subject of activity of factories in recent years, and the key projects implemented for the Polish Armed Forces include: restoring combat capability and upgrading to standard Leopard 2PL / PLM1 142 Leopard 2A4 MBTs (program launched in 2015); overhaul and modification of T-72M/M1 tanks to T-72M1R standard (the program started in 2019); overhaul and current repairs of the PT-91 MBT (the project is being implemented in 2018–2020); overhaul and maintenance of technical support vehicles WZT-2 and WZT-3M (the project started in 2019).
The most comprehensive program is the restoration and modernization of 142 Leopard 2A4 MBTs to the 2PL / PLM1 standard. The photo shows the reassembly of the repaired tank chassis.
Modernization and restoration of the combat capability of Leopard 2A4 tanks
Issues related to the maintenance program to the F6 level, the restoration of full combat capability and the modernization of Leopard 2A4 tanks to the Leopard 2PL / PLM1 standard, have already been repeatedly discussed in detail in Troops and Vehicles (including 1/2016, 3/2016, 3 / 2017, 9/2019), so we will be interested in the activities carried out within it at Zakłady Mechaniczne "BUMAR-LABĘDY" SA in 2020–2021. Recall that the work is being carried out by a consortium consisting of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA and Zakłady Mechaniczne “BUMAR-ŁABĘDY” SA, the strategic partner is the German company Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (the contract was concluded on February 18, 2016). XNUMX), as well as subcontractors of a number of Polish companies, mainly owned by PGZ Capital Group, including: Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne SA, PCO SA, Rosomak SA, Zakłady Mechaniczne “Tarnów” SA, Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych OBRUM Sp. z oo, as well as several foreign companies.
The main contract for the modernization of 128 tanks with the possibility of carrying out work on another 14 was signed on December 28, 2015 in the amount of PLN 2,415 billion. At the moment, the contract has been supplemented with eight appendices. In their composition, 14 more tanks were added to the fleet of vehicles that underwent modernization, thanks to which the total number increased to 142, additional functionality was introduced for the 2PLM1 version, and the rules for restoring the technical performance of these vehicles were determined. . The concluded applications increased the value of the contract to PLN 3,29 billion.
Last year was a breakthrough year for the entire enterprise, as the qualification tests of a tank prototype designed and manufactured by a foreign partner (albeit using equipment provided by Polish sub-suppliers) were completed. They started in August 2018, and the main part ended in the summer of 2019. Then the customer formulated a number of comments and recommendations that the contractor was obliged to make before the final approval of the configuration of the Leopard 2PL tank. Therefore, it was necessary to carry out additional tests, including checking the correctness of the preparation of technical documentation, operating instructions, repair manuals and a spare parts catalog.
It was assumed that the end of the tests and the closure of formal issues would occur by the end of the first quarter of 2020. By that time, field tests (including firing with Polish ammunition at a training ground in the Drawsko-Pomeranian Voivodeship) had been completed. completed, but was extended - including due to the COVID-19 pandemic - the process of checking official records. Finally, on May 21, 2020, the tank prototype test report was approved with a positive result, which made it possible to begin the process of formal acceptance of finished vehicles that correspond to the final prototype standard.
