Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) has begun serial production of the Heron 6×6 multirole tactical vehicle. As announced by the Czechoslovak Group, on December 15, the company placed an order with the Czech manufacturer Tatra Defence Vehicle for the supply of chassis. The first armored command vehicles will be delivered to Polish rocket artillery units, including battalions equipped with the WR-40 Langusta and Homar-K launchers.
The Heron 6×6 program is the result of cooperation between Huta Stalowa Wola and companies belonging to the Czechoslovak Group, initiated in 2020. As emphasized by HSW CEO Marek Karabuła, the technology transfer for the production of the new vehicle type was completed thanks to the involvement of HSW’s specialist teams and the experience gained in earlier joint projects with Tatra Trucks and Excalibur Army, including the production of Waran 4×4 vehicles.
Although the Heron 6×6 design is derived from the Czech TADEAS 6×6 platform, the vehicle has been adapted to the Polish Armed Forces’ requirements and features a high degree of localization. The entire production process—including systems integration at HSW’s facility in Sanok—will be carried out in Poland, while Tatra Defence Vehicle will act solely as the chassis supplier.
The Heron 6×6 has a gross weight of 21.5 tonnes and a payload capacity of up to 10 tonnes. It is equipped with an armored hull, independent suspension, and a Caterpillar engine paired with an Allison automatic transmission. Ballistic protection meets Level 4 of the STANAG 4569A standard.
To date, the Armament Agency has ordered six command-and-staff vehicles for Langusta battalions and 24 vehicles for Homar-K units. Plans also include the purchase of eight Heron reconnaissance vehicles for the Ottokar-Brzoza tank destroyer units. The Heron 6×6 platform can also be used in additional configurations, such as a medical evacuation vehicle or a carrier for specialized equipment, capabilities showcased at the MSPO defense exhibition.
Source: managerplus.pl
