Poland-based weapons manufacturer Fabryka Broni Radom has received a contract to deliver new carbine rifles to the Polish Army.
Under the agreement, valued at 826 million Polish złoty ($189 million), the company will provide 70,000 MSBS Grot C16 5.56×45-millimeter A2 carbines.
The order is expected to be completed by 2026.
“Our needs are great. We maintain our goal, i.e. a minimum of 300,000 soldiers of the Polish Army, so we can talk about such a number in the context of orders for carbines,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said.
“As a leading Polish company in the defense industry, we feel responsible for equipping soldiers with the highest quality, reliable, modern equipment. We are proud of the trust placed in our carbine and the fact that the products of our plant serve to maintain the security of our country,” Radom Management Board President Dr. Wojciech Arndt added.
Polish MSBS Grot
The Grot carbine has been in service with the Polish Armed Forces since 2017.
It was developed in collaboration with the Polish Military University of Technology. The weapon was selected over its gas-operated assault rifle counterpart, the HK416, to replace the aging Beryl rifles used by the country since 1997.
The Grot comes in classic and bullpup designs and has various barrel configurations for convenient swaps between carbine, assault rifle, sniper rifle, and under-barrel grenade launcher.
Since the first contract with Radom, the Polish Army has received 17,000 Grots.
Grots in Ukraine
During the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Grot has reportedly proven its capabilities for Ukrainian forces.
“MSBS GROT carbines collect very good opinions among users,” Polish Armament Agency Head Brig. Gen. Artur Kuptel explained. “Polish soldiers, both professional and soldiers in territorial service, appreciate them primarily for ergonomics and practical solutions.”
“We also receive favorable opinions from Ukrainian soldiers, where the weapon is often used in extreme conditions. Seeing the further development potential of these carbines, we took further steps to ensure that as many of them were in the hands of Polish soldiers.”
