GROTowisko 2023 started with battalion commanders' competitions on Friday, June 23rd. The next day, an expert conference took place at the Centre for Communication and Information Training Club in Zegrze. It brought together the Territorial Defense Forces Command, the management of the Arms Factory, as well as users, shooting instructors, and designers of the MSBS GROT rifle, which has been gradually introduced into the armament of the Polish Army since 2017. The meeting was dedicated not only to the history and current activities related to the production of modular weapons, of which the design from Radom is a crucial part but primarily to its future.
"For the Arms Factory, especially its designers, the conference and the shooting competitions, where users of our rifles meet, are an excellent opportunity for exchanging experiences. We are pleased with the positive reviews of our weapons, but we also listen to feedback. Each one is analyzed by our designers. Thanks to the cooperation with the military, which tests the weapons in various conditions, we know what needs improvement. Thanks to the information provided by the soldiers, we can develop our products and, consequently, improve them," says Seweryn Figurski, a member of the Board of the Łucznik-Radom Arms Factory.
As emphasized by the participants, GROTowisko is an excellent opportunity for both the manufacturer and the users of the MSBS GROT rifle to discuss conclusions related to the implementation of the weapon into the military and its operation.
"GROTowisko is organized primarily to promote sports competition, improve weapon design, build trust, and establish communication channels between users and engineers," adds Brigadier General Maciej Klisz, Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces.
In the Sunday competitions at the Bellona shooting range in Marynin, over two hundred participants, including Territorial Defense Forces brigades and operational military units, competed in full combat gear, as well as civilian shooters. Competitors took part in various disciplines, including individual and collective events, dynamic shooting with different weapons, basic and additional shooting.
The competition concluded with the award ceremony. General Brigadier Maciej Klisz and board member Seweryn Figurski congratulated the winners, both civilian and military shooters. Trophies and material prizes awaited the top performers.
This year's GROTowisko was also an opportunity to present modern solutions used in the Polish army, including those produced by companies within the Polish Armaments Group S.A. Many people interested in domestic designs visited the booths, including that of the Arms Factory.
At the end of the event, representatives of the Territorial Defense Forces Command and the Arms Factory assured that discussions about organizing GROTowisko 2024 would commence soon.