On Friday, 26 September 2025, the 4th Regional Logistics Base published information on awarding a contract to PCO of Warsaw (part of the Polish Armaments Group, PGZ) for the delivery of another batch of KLW-1R Asteria thermal imaging cameras for the Leonardo OTO Melara Hitfist-30P turret systems on Rosomak wheeled armored personnel carriers in the combat variant.
Photo: PCO
The public procurement procedure in the field of defense and security was conducted as a single-source negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice. The value of the contract, scheduled for execution between 7 October and 28 November 2025, was not made public. The ordered equipment is to be delivered to the Nowogród Bobrzański Depot of the 4th Regional Logistics Base.
A previous procedure on this matter, conducted competitively since 4 July of this year, was rightly cancelled on 22 September.
The most recent contract for the supply of KLW-1R Asteria thermal imaging cameras had been signed on 30 September 2024 with the aforementioned PCO. Its value amounted to 7,712,100 PLN, with completion planned by 29 November 2024, and the equipment was to be delivered to the Nowogród Bobrzański Depot.
The military has planned to replace the Italy-licensed, Polish-produced Tilde FC thermal cameras since April 2021. A first tender was announced at the end of August 2022, and in early October that year the offer from PCO, featuring the KLW-1R Asteria camera, was selected for nearly 5 million PLN.
The new equipment is destined for almost 350 Rosomak APCs equipped with Hitfist-30P turrets (some of which were transferred to Ukraine). In the future, however, all of these turret systems will gradually be replaced by ZSSW-30 Remote-Controlled Turret Systems, developed by Huta Stalowa Wola and the WB Group. These feature Commander’s Optoelectronic Heads (GOD-1) and Gunner’s Optoelectronic Heads (GOC-1), also produced by PCO.
KLW-1 Asteria cameras are already in service on PT-91 Twardy, upgraded T-72M1R, and modernized Leopard 2PL/2PLM tanks. The KLW-1R variant is dedicated to the Rosomak APC.
Description
KLW-1 Asteria Thermal Imaging Camera:
- The cooled KLW-1 Thermal Imaging Camera is designed for fire-control systems as well as observation and reconnaissance systems.
- It is a cooled thermal camera operating in the 7.7–9.3 μm band, equipped with a 3rd-generation MCT detector with a resolution of 640 × 512 pixels.
The camera can be used in:
- onboard weapon fire-control systems
- observation and reconnaissance systems
Key product features:
- high-quality cooled 3rd-generation detector
- selectable image-processing automation modes
