Huta Stalowa Wola CBWP

History

The CBWP, short for Ciężki Bojowy Wóz Piechoty, is a Polish heavy tracked infantry fighting vehicle being developed by Huta Stalowa Wola within Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa. The program is intended to provide mechanized infantry with greater ballistic and mine protection than the amphibious Borsuk while retaining the mobility and firepower needed to operate with main battle tanks.

PGZ and Huta Stalowa Wola publicly unveiled a full-size CBWP demonstrator at the MSPO 2026 defense exhibition in Kielce on 8 September 2026. The vehicle shown at MSPO remained a technology demonstrator rather than a finalized production-standard infantry fighting vehicle.

The CBWP program follows Polish Army requirements for a non-amphibious, heavily protected infantry fighting vehicle intended to cooperate with armored formations equipped with M1 Abrams tanks. The absence of an amphibious requirement allows the design to devote more mass to protection than the lighter Borsuk.

Development

Polish interest in a heavy infantry fighting vehicle became public in February 2023, when then defense minister Mariusz Błaszczak referred to a heavier vehicle intended to cooperate with Abrams-equipped units. On 14 August 2023, the Polish Armament Agency signed a framework agreement with a consortium led by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Huta Stalowa Wola concerning approximately 700 CBWP vehicles together with logistics and training packages. Contemporary plans initially envisaged adapting technology and components associated with the Krab self-propelled howitzer chassis and integrating the ZSSW-30 remotely operated turret. More information on the early program is available from ZBIAM.

Technical discussions continued after the 2023 framework agreement. Analysis concluded that a rebuilt Krab carrier would not provide an optimal basis for the required protection and vehicle layout. During 2024, the development team also examined foreign solutions as possible foundations for the program. The resulting project evolved toward a purpose-designed heavy infantry fighting vehicle while retaining the possibility of common components with other Polish tracked vehicles.

Huta Stalowa Wola presented a model associated with the heavy infantry fighting vehicle project at MSPO 2025. By MSPO 2026, PGZ and Huta Stalowa Wola had progressed to a full-size demonstrator. Contemporary reporting described a running prototype as planned for the end of 2026, followed by qualification, ballistic, mine-resistance and other military testing. A report on the 2026 unveiling is available from Defence Blog.

Design

The CBWP is a tracked, non-amphibious infantry fighting vehicle designed around a substantially higher protection requirement than the Borsuk. Its intended role is to transport infantry and provide direct fire support while operating in close cooperation with heavily armored units. Earlier Polish requirements described a three-person crew and accommodation for up to eight dismounted soldiers, although the final production configuration has not yet been confirmed.

Protection

Survivability is a central requirement of the CBWP program. Polish reporting has described very demanding ballistic and mine-protection goals. The demonstrator is also associated with smoke grenade launchers, nuclear, biological and chemical protection, blast-attenuating seating and provision for an active protection system. Final armor levels and the production active-protection configuration remain subject to development and testing.

Mobility

The MSPO 2026 demonstrator was reported as weighing more than 40 tonnes. Army Recognition reported an approximately 800 kW powerpack, equivalent to more than 1,000 hp, with an MTU engine and an American transmission. These figures describe the demonstrator-stage vehicle and may change before production. The heavy design is intended to retain sufficient tactical mobility to accompany main battle tanks. Additional reporting on the demonstrator is available from Army Recognition.

Armament

The vehicle displayed at MSPO 2026 used the Polish ZSSW-30 unmanned turret. The turret is armed with a 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and twin launchers for Spike-LR anti-tank guided missiles. The ZSSW-30 is also used on other Polish armored vehicle programs, providing a degree of armament and equipment commonality.

Earlier CBWP planning also considered a 40 mm version of the Mk44 family, and Polish reporting has discussed the technical possibility of future heavier weapon configurations. These alternatives should be regarded as development options rather than confirmed armament for the production CBWP.

Program status

As of September 2026, the CBWP remained under development. The vehicle unveiled at MSPO was a technology demonstrator, and further work was expected to include construction and integration of prototype vehicles, mobility and reliability trials, ballistic testing, mine-resistance testing and assessment against Polish Army requirements.

Huta Stalowa Wola was reported to be targeting readiness for serial production in 2029. This date is an industrial objective rather than a confirmed service-entry date. The final configuration, protection package and procurement schedule will depend on development results and future Polish defense procurement decisions.

Specifications (MSPO 2026 demonstrator)

General characteristics

• Type: Heavy tracked infantry fighting vehicle technology demonstrator
• Manufacturer: Huta Stalowa Wola, part of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa
• Combat weight: More than 40 tonnes reported for the demonstrator
• Mobility: Non-amphibious tracked configuration
• Powerplant: MTU engine reported with an approximately 800 kW powerpack, equivalent to more than 1,000 hp

Armament

• Turret: ZSSW-30 unmanned turret
• Main weapon: 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon
• Secondary weapon: Coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
• Anti-tank armament: Twin Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile launchers

Protection

• Protection concept: Enhanced ballistic and mine protection compared with Poland's lighter amphibious infantry fighting vehicle requirement
• Additional systems: Provision for an active protection system, smoke grenade launchers and nuclear, biological and chemical protection

Related equipment

• Borsuk: A lighter Polish amphibious infantry fighting vehicle using the ZSSW-30 turret. It is intended to complement rather than duplicate the protection-focused role of the CBWP.
• Krab: A Polish tracked self-propelled howitzer whose chassis technology and components were considered during the early CBWP program before development moved away from a straightforward Krab-based carrier.