Leszek Szymański/PAP

Poland’s army will get domestic-made Ottokar Brzoza anti-tank units under a supply contract greenlighted by the defence minister on Wednesday.

Mariusz Blaszczak said the Ottokars will be a serious reinforcement for the Polish armed forces. He added that the first prototype units are expected next year, and will be deployed in the region of the northeastern Suwalki Gap, which has gained strategic importance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Blaszczak said the plan was to equip the entire Polish army with the Ottokar units, and added that they should be fully operable within the next three years.

The units will be manufactured by the PGZ-OTTOKAR consortium, which consists of a steelworks and two military engineering companies.