Polish army has awarded contract to WZM to modernize its T-72M1 and PT-91 main battle tanks 1912116.

Monday, December 19, 2011, 10:55 AM

Poland's Ministry of Defense has set aside 138.6 million zloty ($42 million) for two contracts to modernize its T-72M1 and PT-91 main battle tanks, the Army's First Regional Logistics Base in Walcz said in a statement.

A 32.2 million-zloty deal for the overhaul of 20 T-72M1s was recently awarded to the repair plant Wojskowe Zaklady Motoryzacyjne (WZM). Of these, 10 units are to be modernized by Nov. 30, 2012, and a further 10 by Nov. 29, 2013.

Meanwhile, the ministry has decided to rerun its 106.4 million-zloty tender to upgrade 40 PT-91 tanks after a bid submitted by Poland's biggest defense manufacturer, Bumar Group, was rejected. Under the plan, some 20 PT-91s are to be upgraded by Nov. 30, 2012, and the remaining 20 by Nov. 29, 2013.

"By the deadline for submission of bids, three bids were submitted for the first contract, and one bid for the second contract," the statement said.

WZM is part of Wojskowe Przedsiebiorstwa Remontowo-Produkcyjne, the country's second-largest defense group. In 2010, the Poznan-based plant reported revenues of 32.2 million zloty, up 1.2 percent over a year earlier, and a net profit of 8.3 million zloty, compared with a loss of 12.9 million zloty in 2009.

The Polish Land Forces have about 586 T-72M1s and 233 PT-91s, according to figures from the ministry.