On Monday, January 27, 2025, the Armament Agency announced the launch of a tender procedure for the acquisition of up to six sets of universal kits for constructing temporary bridge supports (UZPB). The previous purchase of 12 sets was canceled on August 29, 2024.
Photo: Armed Forces General Command (DG RSZ)
The subject of the order is the delivery of 6 sets of universal kits for constructing temporary bridge supports (including 3 sets as the basic order and 3 sets as an optional order). Each set consists of 2 tracked excavators equipped with attachments for pile driving and support construction and 2 low-loader transport sets (tractor unit and trailer) for their transportation.
The deadline for submitting bids is March 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM. The selection criteria for the bids have not been made public. The delivery period is set from January 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
According to the contracting authority’s requirements, each kit must consist of a tracked machine weighing 25-30 tons, equipped with a vibratory hammer and additional attachments (hydraulic hammer, assembly basket, excavator bucket, demolition shears, and compaction plate), a piling tower mounted on a frame with two hydraulic hammers (dual towers preferred), a device for cutting steel piles, and two vehicles for transporting the tracked machine and the piling tower.
The UZPB is intended for the engineering units of the Polish Armed Forces to drive sheet piles, pipes, piles (including wooden ones), and other flat profiles up to 12 meters long (ultimately up to 15 meters). It should also enable angled pile and pipe driving, extraction of these elements, and the construction of pile grids for all types of temporary bridge supports and sheet pile walls. The kits are designed to facilitate earthworks for building shore supports, excavation of water obstacles with low water levels, dismantling of damaged steel and concrete bridge components, and operation both on land and in water obstacles at any time of day or year. They must be capable of continuous operation for at least 10 hours without refueling.
The then Armament Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defense announced a technical dialogue on this matter on June 9, 2020.
Recently, the Polish Armed Forces have received or are set to receive significant amounts of new engineering equipment due to increased demand (primarily for the East Shield initiative, but also in response to other needs, as highlighted by last year’s flooding in southwestern Poland).
This month, the 2nd Regional Logistics Base announced the procurement of UBM machines for manufacturing ready-made steel structure components and the reception of a batch of engineering equipment, including self-propelled graders, heavy tracked bulldozers, and vibratory road rollers. Additionally, new JCB bulldozer-loaders have been ordered from IH Systems, the reception of UDS 214.3 multifunctional excavators on Scania XT P460 8×8 chassis (from a total of 36 units) has begun, and a tender has been announced for additional units (12 units + 6 optional).
