Institute of Armament Technology

STARTING FROM THE INSTITUTE OF WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY…

The history of the Institute of Armament Technology dates back to the year the Military University of Technology was founded (1951), when the Armament Faculty was established. However, the name – Institute of Armament Technology (ITU) – first appeared at the Military University of Technology in March 1976, and was given to the part-time Institute of Armament Technology of the then Department of Electromechanical Missile Armament (WEMUR) and the current Department of Mechatronics and Aeronautics. The head of the part-time Institute of Armament Technology was PhD Stanislaw Gębalski, deputy for scientific affairs Colonel PhD Stanislaw Torecki, the deputy for training Colonel PhD Henryk Glowicki, and the deputy for technical affairs was Lietenant Colonel PhD Stanislaw Sienko. After the death of PhD Stanislaw Gębalski (1976), the leadership of the Institute was entrusted to Colonel PhD Henryk Glowicki, whose deputy for training was appointed Colonel PhD Tadeusz Zawadzki.
The non-stationary Institute of Armament Technology ceased to function from 01.07.1984, when the new WAT was introduced. At that time, the Department’s name was changed from WEMUR to Electromechanical (WEM), with 7 full-time chairs in its structure. With the new post, the name „Institute of Armament Technology” also disappeared from the Academy, only to reappear in… 10 years. This occurred on 15/11/1994 as part of the University’s restructuring, the purpose of which was to adapt it to new teaching tasks and to conduct scientific and research work related to the technical modernization of the Polish Army. A number of changes were made to the Academy’s new structure, including changing the name of the then Electromechanical Department (WEM) to the Department of Armament and Aeronautics (WUL) and establishing three full-time institutes, including the Institute of Armament Technology. It was formed from the merger of the following WEM and non-departmental units: Department of Construction and Operation of Classical Armament (head – Colonel PhD Stanislaw Torecki), the Department of Shooting Theory and Ballistics (head – Colonel PhD. Jozef Gacek), the Department of Armament Technology and Repair (head – Colonel PhD Adam Jackowski), the Department of Explosives and Explosion Physics of the Department of Chemistry and Technical Physics (head – Colonel PhD Radoslaw Trębinski) and part of the Equipment Park of the Electromechanical Department (head – Colonel PhD Witold Koperski).
Scientific and teaching activities of the Institute of Armament Technology began in a structure, containing: a command, four plants and the Classical Armament Equipment Park. The head of the Institute of Armament Technology was Colonel PhD Jozef Gacek, the deputy for teaching and research – Colonel PhD Ryszard Wójcik, and the deputy-commander of the Classical Armament Equipment Park – Colonel PhD Witold Koperski. In 1998, the position of deputy head of the Institute for teaching and research was assigned to Colonel PhD Zbigniew Leciejewski.

…through the INSTITUTE OF ELECTROMECHANICS…

In the wave of organizational changes in the WAT, mainly related to the opening of the University to the civilian educational market, as of 01.01.2003 several organizational units of the Academy were renamed, including, among others, the Department of Armament and Aeronautics to the Department of Mechatronics (WMT), and the Institute of Armament Technology to the Institute of Electromechanics (IEM). The director of the Institute became Colonel PhD Joseph Gacek, the deputy – Colonel PhD Zbigniew Leciejewski, and senior technical specialist – Captain PhD Jacek Kijewski (he held this position until March 01, 2007, when the position was abolished).
The change of the Institute’s name from Armament Technology (a name that took root in both military and civilian armaments circles, unambiguously defining the Institute’s field of interest) to a name that said little – Institute of Electromechanics– caused so much confusion in the „armament industry” that in unofficial contacts employees often used the „old” name, and in correspondence added „Institute of Electromechanics – former Institute of Armament Technology.” This was very useful especially when dealing with the military; then there was no need to explain, for example, what does the Institute of Electromechanics have to do with armaments? – and such questions came up very often! Despite the name change, the Institute’s domain remained two main areas of activity. The first concerned didactics, particularly the training of civilian and military armaments personnel for the Polish Armed Forces, scientific centers, military schools and research and development centers of the Polish armaments industry, while the second concerned scientific and research work aimed primarily at the needs of the Polish Armed Forces. And so it has remained…

…Until THE INSTITUTE OF ARMAMENTS TECHNOLOGY

On 03.12.2007. Rector of the WAT „by Order No. 55 of 03.12.2007” changed the name of the Institute of Electromechanics to the Institute of Armament Technology, entrusting its further management to Colonel PhD Jozef Gacek, whose deputy remained PhD Zbigniew Leciejewski. The change of the Institute’s name was made possible, among other things, thanks to the long-standing efforts of its management, with the simultaneous approval of the Council of the Mechatronics Faculty and the Academy’s management, as well as the positive results of the intensive research and teaching activities carried out by the Institute 's staff in the area of armament technology, aimed mainly at the needs of the Polish Army. On 01.02.2009, the position of Deputy Director of the Institute for Technical and Economic Affairs was created, to which M.Sc. Jacek Bożejko, and on 01.09.2012 the position of deputy director of the Institute was entrusted to PhD Ryszard Woźniak. Despite the change – as of 01.01.2012. – the name of the Department from Mechatronics to the Department of Mechatronics and Aeronautics (WML), the name of the Institute – „Institute of Armament Technology ” – remained. As of 1.10.2016, new authorities of the Institute of Armament Technology were appointed for the 2016-2020 term. The position of director of the Institute was assumed by PhD Ryszard Woźniak, deputy directors – Colonel PhD Jacek Janiszewski, and the deputy director for technical and economic affairs – M.Sc. Jacek Bożejko.

As of 1.10.2018, the position of deputy director of the Institute was assigned to Major PhD Robert Paszkowski.

On 15.02.2016 there was a change in the headquarters of the Institute, which, after almost 22 years of operation in Building 69, moved – along with part of the Ballistics Department (now the Department of Artillery and Ballistics) – to Building 36.

On 15.11.2019. The Institute of Armament Technology celebrated its 25th anniversary. On this occasion, a book was published entitled. „Institute of Armament Technology 1994-2019” (Editorial Board of WAT Publishing, Warsaw 2019), which presents the history of the Institute and institute plants and their achievements, as well as characterizes the Institute’s activities in the year of the 25th anniversary, with particular emphasis on: its structure, areas of teaching and scientific and research activities, international armament conferences and national scientific seminars organized with the participation of the ITU, as well as publication and cooperation activities. In turn, the book’s 12 appendices present: the Institute’s management from 1994 to 2019; the Institute’s employees who hold or have held leadership positions in the authorities of the Department and the Academy over the past 25 years; awards, prizes , patents, industrial designs, industrial community designs, books, scripts by Institute employees, as well as journals (in which Institute employees have published) and national and international conferences in which ITU employees have participated.

As of 1.10.2020, the Department of Mechatronics and Aeronautics was transformed into the Department of Mechatronics, Armament and Aeronautics (Order of the Rector of WAT No. 53/RKR/2020 dated 13/07/2020). The change of the Department’s name was the result of several years of efforts by the Institute’s management, supported by the authorities of the Department and the Academy and the WAT Senate. Following the replacement of the Department’s name, a new structure and new plant names were introduced at the Institute of Armament Technology, adapting it to future research and teaching tasks. Thus, the Department of Ballistics was replaced by the Department of Artillery and Ballistics, the Department of Special Structures was replaced by the Department of Weapons and Ammunition, and the Department of Design Support, Manufacturing and Operations was replaced by the Department of Armament Technology and Operations.

As of 1.10.2020, the authorities of the Institute of Armament Technology were appointed for the term 2020-2024. The position of director of the Institute was again assumed by PhD Ryszard Woźniak, PhD WAT, deputy director – Lieutenant PhD Robert Paszkowski, and the deputy director for technical and economic affairs – M.Sc. Jacek Bożejko.

The Institute of Armament Technology in 1996-2006 was the organizer, and since 2008 has been the co-organizer (with the Military Institute of Armament Technology) of the International Armament Conferences on „Scientific Aspects of Armament and Security Technology,”and since 2009 has been co-organizer (with the Military Armament Technical Institute) of the International Scientific and Technical Conferences on „Problems of Development, Production and Operation of Armament Technology.” On the initiative of the Institute , the Scientific Quarterly „Problems of Mechatronics. Armament, Aerospace, Security Engineering,” thefirst issue of which was published in October 2010. The quarterly is on the list of „B” journals of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. In addition, it is indexed in the database on the content of Polish technical journals BazTech and the international indexing database of scientific journals IC Journals Master List. The Institute of Armament Technology , under the authorization of the Minister of Defense, performs expert opinions on the technical condition of garrison firing ranges, as well as expert opinions and opinions in the area of armament technology.

MAJOR SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

In the more than 25 years of its activity, the domain of the Institute of Armament Technology has been the training of armament personnel for the Polish Armed Forces, scientific centers, military schools, research and development centers of the Polish armament industry, as well as conducting scientific and research work aimed mainly at the needs of the Polish Armed Forces and the national economy. Among the Institute 's best-known achievements in the scientific and research area are:

  • UKM-2000 small arms system with a cartridge belt and a set of 7.62×51 mm ammunition (developed with H. Cegielski-Poznan S.A. and MESKO S.A.), honored at the 10th International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce in 2002 with the DEFENDER award;


UKM-2000 weapon system (from top): UKM-2000P, UKM-2000D (with extended flask) and UKM-2000C (photo:  Jacek Kijewski)

  • Machine gun system wz.2003 caliber 5.56 mm, developed in 2004 with Fabryka Broni „Łucznik”-Radom sp. z o.o.;
  • Automated Fire Command and Control System of the 152 mm self-propelled cannon howitzer wz.1977 DANA, developed in 2007 with WB Electronics S.A.;
  • 23mm insert cannon 23AW-120 for the Leopard 2A4 tank, developed in 2008 with Zakłady Mechaniczne TARNÓW S.A.;
  • Ammunition with limited caliber ricochet: 9×18, 9×19, 7.62×39, 7.62×51, 7.62x54R mm (developed with MESKO S.A.), honored at the 18th MSPO in 2010 with the DEFENDER award;


Limited ricochet cartridges (from left): 7.62x54R mm OR Mosin, 7.62×51 mm OR NATO, 7.62×39 mm OR wz.1943, 9×19 mm OR Parabellum, 9×18 mm OR Makarov (photo: Wojciech Furmanek)

  • Technology demonstrator of the 35 mm caliber remotely piloted anti-aircraft system (DT ZSSP-35), developed in 2011 with PIT-RADWAR S.A. and Zakłady Mechaniczne TARNÓW S.A.;
  • Demonstrators of standard (basic) carbine technology in the flask and flaskless arrangement of the 5.56 mm caliber Modular Small Arms System (MSBS-5.56), developed in 2011 with FB Radom;
  • The 40 mm caliber incapacitating weapon and ammunition system (SBAO-40) (developed with DEZAMET Metal Works S.A.), honored at the 20th MSPO in 2012 with the DEFENDER award;


SBAO-40 system (photo: Jacek Kijewski)

  • 40 mm RGP-40 hand-held repeating grenade launcher (developed with Zakłady Mechaniczne TARNÓW S.A.), honored at the XXI MSPO in 2013 with the DEFENDER award;


RGP-40 at MSPO 2013 (photo: Jacek Kijewski)

  • Electronically programmed device for remote firing from field rocket launchers (developed with WB Electronics S.A.), honored at the XXI MSPO in 2013 with the DEFENDER award;
  • 5.56 mm standard (basic) carbine and 5.56 mm representative carbine of the 5.56 mm caliber Modular Small Arms System (MSBS-5.56) (developed with FB Radom), honored at the XXII MSPO in 2014. WITH A SPECIAL AWARD FROM THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE.


MSBS-5.56K carbine (photo: Jacek Bożejko)


MSBS-5.56R representative carbine in the hands of a soldier of the Representative Company of the Polish Army (photo: FB Radom)

  • basic carbine in the classic layout of the MSBS-5.56 system along with an underslung grenade launcher and knife-barrel (developed with FB Radom), honored at the XXIII MSPO in 2015 with the DEFENDER award.


Standard carbine in the classic layout of the MSBS-5.56 system along with an underslung grenade launcher (top) and knife-barrel (bottom) (photo. IKEM with FRAG OUT).

Ryszard Woźniak

The results of some of the scientific and research work of the Institute of Armament Technology were presented in the following publications, among others:

  • A collective work edited by: R. Wozniak, Department of Mechatronics 1961-2011, WAT, Warsaw, 2011;
  • R. Wozniak, MSBS-5.56K standard carbine and… MSBS-5.56R representative carbine, „WAT Academic Voice,” No. 7-8-9/2014. (pp. 24-26).
  • R. Wozniak, Scientific Armament Conferences, WAT, Warsaw, 2014.
  • R. Wozniak, Weapons for Titan with Defender '2015, „WAT Academic Voice,” No. 7-8-9/2014. (pp. 20-21).
  • A collective work edited by: R. Wozniak, Institute of Armament Technology 1994-2019, WAT, Warsaw, 2019: