On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), announced on social media that the ORP Albatros (602), a Project 258 Kormoran II mine hunter vessel, had received its intended OSU-35K naval gun system with an AM-35K cannon on the bow.
Photos: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna
The prototype ORP Kormoran (601) is armed with a bow-mounted twin-barrel 23 mm ZU-23-2MR Wróbel II gun, while the production vessels began receiving their intended OSU-35K systems. In 2022, an OSU-35K was installed on ORP Mewa (603), followed by ORP Albatros (602) when the latter entered service. As part of interchangeability trials for equipment and armament, the AM-35K guns were even exchanged between the two vessels. In September 2023, the system was officially accepted into service following tests aboard Albatros.
After some time, however, the OSU-35K disappeared from Albatros. At MSPO 2024, PIT-RADWAR unveiled the SA-35 self-propelled 35 mm anti-aircraft gun on a Jelcz P663.45 T60 chassis. It later emerged that the technology demonstrator used the weapon system removed from Albatros.
Meanwhile, in September 2022, PIT-RADWAR and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna signed a contract worth more than 100 million PLN gross for the delivery of additional OSU-35K systems for three Project 258 Kormoran II mine hunter vessels. As Albatros had been left without its gun armament, PIT-RADWAR manufactured the intended system, which was installed yesterday.
The OSU-35K is a remotely controlled and stabilized naval weapon system equipped with a 35 mm automatic cannon and an independent electro-optical target-tracking system. It was developed by a consortium comprising the Military University of Technology as the leader, the Polish Naval Academy, PIT-RADWAR, and Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów.
The system comprises the AM-35 automatic cannon, the ZGS-35 integrated observation and tracking head, the BSKO fire-control system unit, and the RSKO backup fire-control station. The AM-35 and ZGS-35 structures are made using carbon-fiber technology.
The OSU-35K is designed to engage air targets maneuvering in course, speed, and altitude within its engagement zone, as well as surface targets. It is intended to operate with a Combat Management System. Its open architecture, modularity, and scalability allow it to be integrated aboard vessels of various classes (“MSPO 2022: PIT-RADWAR receives award for OSU-35K”).
The AM-35 naval gun is the latest variant of the system. Carbon fiber was used in its construction, reducing the total weight of the mount to approximately 3,300 kg. Its license-built KDA automatic cannon has a rate of fire of 550 rounds per minute and is fed from two magazines, each holding 100 rounds. Dual-feed ammunition allows two types of rounds to be used interchangeably, such as FAPDS-T subcaliber ammunition and programmable airburst ammunition. The AM-35 has an elevation range of −10° to +85°. The mount also has its own 1920 × 1080 targeting camera, described as 3.2 megapixels, enabling it to engage targets through the RSKO backup fire-control station if the primary fire-control system becomes unavailable.
The primary sighting system is the ZGS-35 integrated tracking head, equipped with a thermal-imaging camera, daylight camera, laser rangefinder, video tracker, and an IKZ-50P short-range interrogator for the identification friend-or-foe system. The thermal-imaging camera, operating in the 3–5 µm band, can detect a 0.8 × 1.7 m target at up to 11,800 m, recognize it at 4,330 m, and identify it at 2,250 m. For a larger 2.3 × 2.3 m target, these ranges increase to 15,000 m, 7,660 m, and 4,060 m, respectively. The television camera, operating in the 350–700 nm visible-light band, can detect a 0.75 × 1.5 m object at 8,000 m, recognize it at 2,000 m, and identify it at 1,000 m. The laser rangefinder has an instrumented range of 200–30,000 m.
Two OSU-35K systems will also be installed on each of the three Project 106 Wicher-class missile frigates being built under the Miecznik program. The lead ship is scheduled to be launched on August 12 this year.
Najbliższe dni upłyną nam pod znakiem Miecznika i wodowania Wichra. Równolegle pracujemy jednak przy jednostkach już będących w służbie – dziś na niszczycielu min ORP Albatros (602) zamontowaliśmy docelowy system artyleryjski OSU-35K.
Albatros to typ Kormoran II. Okręty te… pic.twitter.com/pEvF79AofY— PGZ Stocznia Wojenna ⚓ (@StoczniaWojenna) July 28, 2026
