On Friday, February 2nd, the Polish Armament Agency signed a second executive contract with the French company CNIM Systèmes Industriels (CSI) for the delivery of additional Motorized Floating Bridges (PFM, Pont Flottant Motorisé) as part of the Daglezja-P program.
Image: CNIM Systèmes Industriels
The agreement covers delivery of 7 sets of pontoon bridges along with a training package. The contract was concluded between the Polish State Treasury – the Armament Agency and CNIM Systèmes Industriels. The order value amounts to approximately 1.2 billion PLN gross (ca. $300 million). The delivery of pontoon bridges will be carried out between 2026 and 2029.
On June 15, 2022, a framework agreement was concluded for the delivery of motorized floating bridges. The first executive contract was signed on August 29, 2022. The value of the contract amounted to approximately 300 million PLN (ca. $66 million) and covered the delivery of two sets of pontoon bridges in 2025 along with a training package and the development of technical documentation.
The Motorized Floating Bridge sets enable the construction of crossings over wide water obstacles. A single set of PFM allows for the construction of a 100 m bridge or two ferries, with a load capacity of no less than MLC 70 for tracked vehicles and MLC 96 for wheeled vehicles. It includes, among other things: 12 transport sets consisting of a Jelcz C662D.43 tractor unit and trailers, 8 pontoon blocks with propulsion engines, 4 ramp modules, as well as equipment, tools, and safety devices for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the crossing.
The contract for the first batch of 24 Jelcz C662D.43 tractor units between Jelcz, a part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), and CNIM Systèmes Industriels was signed on July 18, 2023 and was valued at 52 million PLN (ca. $13 million).
Upon completion of all deliveries stipulated in both the first and second executive agreements, the Polish Armed Forces will have the capability to construct 900 meters of bridges.
Daglezja-P
In May 2016, the former Armament Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defense began market analysis for the acquisition of new pontoon bridges with a capacity of 63.5 tons, suitable for Leopard 2A5 and 2PL main battle tanks, to replace the old PP-64 Wstęga (Ribbon) bridge sets (based on the Soviet PMP pontoon bridges) transported on Star 266 AP and Star 266 BP heavy trucks and remaining in service with the Polish Armed Forces since 1966. Positive responses were given by companies such as BAE Systems, CEFA SAS, CNIM, KABE, IMS-Griffin, and Monrex at that time.
On December 19, 2018, the Armament Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defense initiated a tender procedure for the acquisition of 10 sets of pontoon bridges (7 as part of the basic order and 3 optional), and on March 14, 2019, three bidders applied: the French company Constructions Industrielles de la Méditerranée (CNIM), a consortium of Polish companies H. Cegielski-Poznań (HCP) and WB Electronics with French CEFA SAS, and the Polish company Griffin Group Defence, representing the General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) conglomerate. However, on August 29, 2019, the procedure was invalidated due to financial constraints.
On January 10, 2020, the Armament Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defense initiated a second procedure for acquisition of new pontoon bridges, but without specifying the number of sets to be ordered. This time the tender was successful. Two offers were evaluated: a consortium consisting of H. Cegielski-Poznań, CEFA SAS, and PGZ with a value of 950.5 million PLN (ca. $250 million) and CNIM company with a value of 699 million PLN (ca. $184 million).
https://twitter.com/AgencjaUzbr/status/1753448207437172766
Today we signed the second contract for the delivery of PFM pontoon parks for the Polish Army. The new contract includes the acquisition of 7 sets between 2026 and 2029. They will complement the two initial crossings contracted under executive contract No. 1.
https://twitter.com/pawelbejda/status/1753439510329712911
We are strengthening the engineering forces. Today, Agencja Uzbrojenia signed a contract for nearly 1.2 billion PLN gross for the delivery of another 7 pontoon parks, which will enable quick and efficient construction of crossings for motor vehicles and tanks in the arsenal of the Polish Army.