The six-week training is being conducted under the supervision of instructors and specialists from Huta Stalowa Wola, as well as representatives of WB Electronics and Jelcz. The artillerymen are learning the capabilities and intricacies of the new equipment, as well as the principles of operating it. The training will conclude with live firing at a training ground.
In late autumn this year, the first batch of “Krabs” is to be delivered to the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment in Bolesławiec and the newly formed squadron. A total of 24 “Krab” howitzers, along with support vehicles, are to be delivered to Bolesławiec, reports the Polska-Zbrojna.pl
As the service reports:
The 155-millimetre Krab is currently the most powerful gun in the Polish army. It can fire up to six rounds per minute, while its range is approximately 40 kilometres. The Topaz fire-control system facilitates precise fire. Krabs can even fire while moving in a marching column.
The vehicle is equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun, a smoke-grenade launcher and a range of safety systems that, for example, provide warning when it is being targeted by a laser. Thanks to its tracks, it can move effortlessly across rough terrain, where it can reach speeds of up to 30 km/h. On paved roads, its maximum speed is twice as high. The Krab’s crew consists of five soldiers.
Currently, soldiers from the 11th Mazurian Artillery Regiment in Węgorzewo and the 5th Lubusz Artillery Regiment in Sulechów use the new howitzers. The capabilities of this equipment could be seen, among other occasions, during the “Anakonda ‘20” exercises. At that time, the Mazurian artillerymen carried out tasks at the training ground in Ustka. They fired at targets deployed in the Baltic Sea, thereby supporting the navy. By the end of 2024, the Polish army is to receive nearly 120 Krabs in total.