Why did the esteemed Anders end up in storage?
The task was created “on paper” and on 2 prototypes (120-mm fire support car + IFV) funded from the NCBR grant. There was never a contract for qualifying tests or series 0. erstwhile the Ministry of Defence changed the requirements for the successor of BMP-1 from 2013 to 2017, and then deleted the chepard program (May 2017) – the political "parasol" over Anders disappeared.
Five key causes of the fiasco
- Risk change after 2014 – Russia's aggression into Ukraine shifted priorities from an "expeditionary" light tank (35 t) to a classic, heavy armored MBT and dense BWP. Anders did not give protection to STANAG 5 in front, and the 120-mm cannon in a light chassis did not compensate for the weaker armor.
- Overestimated ambitions - device besides dense for swimming, besides light for the east front. The Land troops yet placed on the amphibious Borsuk (28 t) for the mechanized brigades and, secondly, on the "heavy IFV" accompanying Abrams. Anders didn't fit any of those 2 baskets.
- Other priorities - From 2015 to 2020, MON financed the Vistula, Narew, Kraba, F-35 and cyber programs in parallel – for a "new caterpillar family" it would be hard to find a place here. The estimated value of the 700-vehicle Anders series exceeded PLN 15 billion (2016), which is half of the full of the then armored-motorized plan.
- Problems of the Bumar consortium and OBRUM – The restructuring of Bumar-Łabada, the deficiency of its own engine line and boxes, the request to import key components (MTU, RENK, RUAG-120 mm) caused the offer price of the car to emergence and the share of the "polonization" fell.
- The program was de facto replaced - by Badsuka (light/amphibian IFV) and by the concept of ‘New Tank’/K2PL + Abrams for the function of dense support. They got backing and political priority, and chepard/Anders got into the drawer.
What's left of Anders' technology?
- Hull and suspension – part of the solutions of bearings and steering wheels were adopted in test chassis Borsuk.
- Modular Electronics Concept – it went to the Polish Integrated Fire Management strategy BMS-Z, integrated present with Borsuk and Krab.
- Experience of OBRUM engineers – utilized in the plan of dense chassis under cannon-haubica K9/”Krab-Next” and in the consortium “heavy IFV”.
Summary
Anders did not fall due to the deficiency of competence of native engineers, but collided with fresh strategical priorities, budget constraints and chaos in requirements. After erasing the cheetah program and shifting funds to Borsuka + fresh MBT, the light tank/IFV Anders lost a customer. Technology survived – the platform did not.
