The infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) craze continues to sweep Europe. This time, the Polish Armed Forces is receiving 111 Borsuk IFVs as part of a $1.8 billion contract with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Huta Stalowa Wola. An amphibious tracked vehicle, this platform is desired because of its emphasis on survivability and versatility—as well as its integration with other forces via advanced computer networks. 

The Borsuk acquisition also underscores the importance of IFVs for European armies. The Ukrainians have relied heavily on IFV and lightly armored platforms, such as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, to make up for a lack of heavy armor in Ukraine’s lines. Footage of Ukrainian Bradleys going head-to-head with Russian tanks has circulated widely on social media. (Less circulated is the fact that the Bradleys often have not fared well in these clashes—so much so that there is supposedly a “Bradley Graveyard” in Ukraine). 

In fact, the obsession with IFVs in Europe seems like a dangerous gambit.........

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