South Korea AS21 Redback could be next generation of tracked armored IFV for Polish army.

According to pictures released on the Facebook account of "Korea Defense Blog", the South Korean AS21 Redback tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle has undergone field test evaluations in Poland. It could be the next generation of tracked armored IFVs for the Polish army after the selection of the South Korean K2 tanks and the K9 155mm self-propelled howitzer. 
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South Korean AS21 Redback tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle has undergone field test evaluations in Poland. (Picture source Facebook account Korea Defense Blog)

The Polish Ministry of Defense has launched a modernization plan for its armed forces for an estimated value of $133 billion from 2020 to 2035. In this program, the Polish army would like to acquire a new combat vehicle based on a universal modular tracked chassis.

The Polish defense industry has offered the Borsuk manufactured by a consortium led by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), a subsidiary of Polish Armaments Group PGZ (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa). The Borsuk will replace the old BWP-1 tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) currently in service with the Polish army.

The BWP-1 is the Polish name of the Soviet BMP-1 which is an IFV that entered into service with the Russian army in 1966. The vehicle is also in service with many armies around the world. It showed its worth in action in numerous regional conflicts. Taking into consideration the increasing requirements for the effectiveness of infantry fighting vehicles, the Polish army would acquire a new tracked armored IFV able to respond to the new needs and threats of modern battlefields in terms of protection, firepower, and mobility.

In October 2020, Army Recognition reported that the Polish defense industry conducted field and firing tests in September 2020 with the new Polish-made Borsuk tracked armored amphibious IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) fitted with a 30mm cannon turret. In November 2020, the President of the Polish Company Huta Stalowa Wola SA (HSW) announced that the first Borsuk IFV could enter into service with the Polish army in 2023.

In July 2022, the South Korean defense industry including Hyundai Rotem Co., Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), and Hanwha Defense will sign an agreement with Poland for an amount of $7.7 milliard to acquire K2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), FA-50 light fighter aircraft and K9 155mm self-propelled howitzers. Within the framework of these contracts, Poland could consider acquiring IFVs developed in South Korea that could be deployed with South Korean K2 tanks.

The AS21 also nicknamed Redback could be considered as one of the most modern tracked IFVs of the twenty century. It is one of the contenders for the Australian Army’s LAND 400 Phase 3 IFV program which is in competition with the German Rheinmetall Lynx KF41.

The Oshkosh Defense Consortium, including Hanwha Defense USA, is also trying to leverage the proven capability of the Redback for the US Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) design effort. Several European nations have also shown in the Redback for their IFV acquisition programs.

The design of the AS21 Redback is very similar to other modern IFVs such as the CV90 from BAE Systems or the ASCOD manufactured by GDELS (General Dynamics European Land Systems) but it features the latest technologies and innovations in terms of protection, firepower, and mobility. The driver is located at the left front side of the hull with the engine on its right, the turret is in the middle and the troop's compartment at the rear. The AS21 has a crew of three and can accommodate up to eight infantrymen. 

The AS-21 Redback is fitted with a two-man turret armed with one 30mm automatic cannon and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The right side of the turret is equipped with anti-tank launcher systems able to fire the Spike anti-tank guided missile.

The AS21 also represents the latest innovations in terms of protection. The hull and the turret can have protection Level STANAG 2 to 6. It can be also equipped with an advanced active protection system (APS) that can defend against incoming line-of-sight guided anti-tank missiles/projectiles.