- Yes
- No
History
History
The BWO-40 was a Polish prototype infantry fighting vehicle developed in 1993 by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) in cooperation with the Swedish company Bofors Weapons Systems. The vehicle emerged following the disappointing results of the BWP-40 modernization programme, which attempted to mount a CV90 turret on the chassis of the BWP-1. While the BWP-40 offered significantly improved firepower, the additional weight severely reduced mobility and almost eliminated the vehicle’s amphibious capability.
BWO-40 without its turret next to the BWP-40 and LWB-23Seeking a more suitable platform, HSW utilized the extended seven-roadwheel Opal 2A (SPG-2A) chassis, originally developed during the 1980s for artillery command and support vehicles. This chassis offered greater internal volume and improved load-carrying capacity while retaining full amphibious capability. A Swedish CV90 turret armed with the 40 mm Bofors L/70 automatic cannon was installed, creating a significantly more capable infantry fighting vehicle than the standard BWP-1.
Despite showing promise, the project failed to attract interest from the Polish Ministry of National Defence, which was facing significant budget constraints during the post-Cold War period. As funding for further development was not provided, work on the vehicle ceased after the completion of a single prototype. The BWO-40 never progressed beyond the prototype stage, but it remains one of the more unusual Polish attempts to combine domestic vehicle designs with advanced Western weapon systems during the 1990s.
Summarised Characterisitcs
Details
- Crew (3)
- Driver, gunner, commander
- 40 mm L/70B Bofors
- Ammo:
- APFSDS-T
- 3P
- PFHE Mk 2
- HE-T
- Elevation: -8/+35°
- Two-plane stabilizer
- Fire rate: 300rds/m
- Gunner sight
- 3rd Gen thermals???
- Laser Rangefinder
- Combat weight: 16 tons
- Engine: SWT 11/307/2 (320Hp)
- Max speed: 60 km/h
- Max speed in water: 8 km/h
Armament
Details
- Horizontal rotation speed: 57°/s
- Vertical rotation speed: 28.5°/s
- L/70 40mm BOFORS
- Elevation: -8° to +35°
- Two-plane stabilizer
- Fire rate: 300 rds/m
- Ammo capacity: Ready racked 24 rds
- In Carousel: 48 roundsunder the turret floor
- Total ammunition capacity: 235
Ammunition
Mobility
Details
- Engine: SWT 11/307/2 (320Hp)
- Transmission: Mechanical
- Gears: 6 forward, 1 reverse
- Top Speed: 60km/h
- Top speed in water: 8 km/h
- Weight: 16000kg
- Supension: Torsion Bar
- Amphibious
Armour
Details
- Chassis was welded from steel armor with a thickness of 7 mm to 16 mm
- Turrt was turret was resistant to 14.5 mm AP anti-armour projectiles
Other
