The Armaments Agency (Agencja Uzbrojenia) verified the problems and said that one contract included fines of more than PLN 10 million. The delayed rate of delivery might have an impact on important artillery and air defence projects, such as the Wisła medium-range system.
According to the report by Jakub Palowski, the delays have caused growing dissatisfaction within the Polish Armed Forces. Jelcz, a subsidiary of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), supplies most of the army’s tactical and heavy-duty vehicles. In response to Defence24.pl’s questions, Colonel Grzegorz Polak, spokesman for the Armaments Agency, said that “contracts for the delivery of Jelcz vehicles, both medium- and heavy-duty with high mobility, are generally completed on time, although delays do occur.” He said that annexes were signed and that the appropriate penalties were applied under the terms of the contract.
One contract from 2019, which was for cars for the Wisła program, was penalised PLN 2.03 million and PLN 8.48 million, for a total of PLN 10.5 million, which is more than 6 percent of its original PLN 170.9 million worth. The Agency says that most Jelcz contracts are going well, but the fines show how significant the delays are.
Jelcz’s output covers nearly all categories of military trucks, from 4×4 and 6×6 tactical vehicles to specialized chassis integrated with strategic missile and air-defence systems. The report warns that even such “routine” logistics vehicles are critical to Poland’s modernization, as their late delivery can hinder both operational readiness and the roll-out of major programs.
Defence24.pl added that frustration within the military is mounting, potentially affecting future procurements, including support vehicles. As an indirect sign of trouble, a December 2022 fuel-tanker contract—previously always fulfilled by Jelcz—was instead executed using Swedish Scania trucks, even under a ministry leadership known for prioritizing Poland’s state-owned defence industry.
