BAE Systems has signed a memorandum of understanding with two Polish defence companies covering the potential localised production of the M88A2 armoured recovery vehicle in Poland, the company has announced.
The non-binding agreement with Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne and H. Cegielski-Poznań, both members of the state-owned PGZ Capital Group and specialists in the sustainment and manufacture of tracked armoured vehicles, reflects what BAE Systems described as a shared commitment to expanding Polish industrial capability for sustainment and support, alongside the potential for building the recovery vehicle itself in the country.
The framework builds on the licensing agreement BAE Systems and WZM signed in 2025, which centred on maintenance, repair, overhaul and sustainment of the M88A2, and brings HCP’s manufacturing strengths into the collaboration to combine with WZM’s existing sustainment expertise.
Dean Medland, vice president for Sustainment and International at BAE Systems, said: “This agreement is a testament to how BAE Systems does business: prioritising the needs of our allies through strong local strategic relationships. By integrating our global expertise with the support and manufacturing capabilities of WZM and HCP, we are not just providing equipment; we are investing in Polish defence and local industrial growth. Strengthening Poland’s capability around the M88A2 ensures the sustainment and support of the critical recovery capabilities its forces depend on for years to come.”
Grzegorz Szkaradek, CEO of HCP and chairman of both companies’ management boards, said the signing was “a landmark moment not only for our plants, but for the entire city of Poznań,” adding: “By combining HCP’s unique production facilities with WZM’s extensive armor and service experience, we are becoming a strong and comprehensive partner for BAE Systems in Greater Poland. This collaboration is a clear signal that Poznań is emerging as a key production and service hub for cutting-edge armored platforms for the Polish Army. This will bring Poznań not only new technologies and unique engineering expertise, but also stability and growth for decades to come.”
The M88A2 is the recovery variant supporting the M1 Abrams tanks Poland is fielding in numbers, with the enhanced horsepower and upgraded armour protection, including armoured track skirts and armour panels, to manoeuvre and extract a 70-tonne stranded vehicle and its crew to safety, and BAE Systems said it is working with the Polish Land Forces to provide unified recovery capabilities able to recover every armoured vehicle in the Polish Army’s fleet.
Poland has ordered hundreds of Abrams tanks from the United States.
