The Dzik family of armoured personnel carrier (APC) was developed from 2003 as a private venture by AMZ-Kutno for the home and export market.

The first two production vehicles were delivered to the Polish Army for trials purposes late in 2004.

In August 2005 the Polish Ministry of National Defence placed a contract with the company worth USD9.57 million covering the supply of 43 Dzik 2 vehicles.

These are deployed with Polish Military Police units with first deliveries being made late in 2005. These were followed by another 24 in 2006, 10 in 2007, five in 2008 and 2009 and the remaining three in 2010.

The company have been awarded a contract to supply Dzik 3 vehicles to Iraq with the first batch of 600 being supplied from 2005 under a USD100 million contract. These are referred at the Ain Jaria.

It is understood there is a follow on order for 975 Dzik 2 standard of which 600 would be for the army and 375 for patrolling high value targets such as oil pipelines.

Production of these are now underway with a total of 423 vehicles being supplied to Iraq in 2006 with additional vehicles following in 2007.

The Dzik series of APC is based on the Italian SCAM SM62 (4 × 4) all terrain chassis fitted with a fully armoured body to protect the occupants from small arms fire up to 7.62 × 51 mm armour piercing and shell splinters.

The layout of Dzik is conventional with the powerpack at the front, commander and driver in the centre and the troop compartment at the rear.

There are at least three versions of the Dzik, 1,2 and 3 and these differ only in minor details and this description relates to the Dzik 2.

To the immediate front of the driver and commander is a large one piece bullet proof windscreen. Commander and driver are each provided with a forward opening side door with a bullet proof window in the upper part and a firing port below.

To the rear of the first door is another door that opens to the front that also has a bullet proof window in its upper part with a firing port below.

There are an additional two bullet proof windows in the sides of the troop compartment with a firing port below. In addition there is a door in the rear that opens to the right with a single bullet proof window in the upper part. Either side of this door is another bullet proof window with a firing port below.

Mounted on the forward part of the roof is a 7.62 mm ZM Tarnow UKM-2000P machine gun with front and rear protection provided for the gunner.

The gunners two piece hatch provides some side protection when the weapon is being fired. Other weapon systems and turrets are available.

Mounted on the forward part of the roof are two banks of three 81 mm 902A electrically operated smoke grenade launchers.

Standard equipment includes an air conditioning system, heater, run flat tyres, front mounted winch, communications equipment and heated mirrors.

Optional equipment includes mechanical or automatic fire detection and suppression system, fire fighting system for the wheels, tow hook, searchlight that can be operated from inside the vehicle, external stowage and wire cutting device mounted on front of vehicle.

This only has one door in either side and a slightly higher roof line that extends to the rear. Hatches are provided in the roof and a replacement wheel and tyre is carried on the roof at the rear.

This has been developed mainly for the internal security role and has one door in either side for the commander and driver and five bullet proof windows down each side with each of these having a firing port below. Assault ladders are carried on the left side of the hull and a push bar is mounted on the front of the hull.

The protected replacement wheel and tyre is carried on the roof at the rear and on the roof towards the front is a protected weapon station that can be armed with a 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm MG. On the forward part of the hull roof are flashing lights and electrically operated smoke grenade launchers.