Whispers of Trouble to Come

The land forces of the Eastern European nation of Poland have taken delivery of two Leonardo AW149 helicopters. The medium multi-role machines were handed over during a 30 October 2023 ceremony at the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade in Tomaszów Mazowiecki.

The configuration in which the new helicopters were delivered facilitates combat support missions and includes observation, small arms, guided/unguided rocket and missile, and self-defense systems. Armament, depending on the particular AW149 variant and configuration, is installed either in the helicopters’ cabins or affixed to their external hard points.

The deliveries derive of a July 2022 contract that included logistics, training, and simulator packages. The logistics package includes stocks of spare and consumable parts and ground-handling equipment. The training and simulator package includes comprehensive training for AW149 pilots and technical personnel, and the delivery of a set of advanced simulators and associated training equipment.

The Polish Ministry of Defense program under which the newly-delivered helicopters fall is based, in part, upon localized production through PZL-?widnik, the Polish contractor covering the integration of the aircrafts’ systems and dedicated armament. By dint of local production, Poland gains not only state-of-the-art helicopters, but a domestic logistics base and technical facilities located in close proximity to the nation’s land forces. The delivery of the two AW149 helicopters instantiates the responsiveness and efficiency characteristic of PZL-?widnik—a fully-owned Leonardo subsidiary—and the Polish company’s ability to not only competently support the AW149 platform, but upgrade such in accordance to the changing needs of the Polish defense forces.

Leonardo Helicopters managing director Gian Piero Cutillo stated: “The state-of-the-art AW149 helicopter represents a quantum-leap forward in true multirole mission and growth capability, efficient fleet management and emergency responsiveness for modern armed forces. The localization of industrial and logistical capabilities for these new helicopters to meet Poland’s needs, leverage the long-established and unique capabilities of PZL-?widnik and its professional skills combined with the outstanding operational capabilities of the AW149 will deliver unparalleled advantages to the country.”

PZL-?widnik president Jacek Libucha set forth: “With complete capabilities in helicopter design, development, customization and servicing, PZL-?widnik confirmed again its leadership and the continuation of its over seventy-year heritage through the setting of key milestones for Polish aviation industry. As a former military officer with experience in country and through international missions, I have an even greater sense of fulfillment of my duties leading PZL-?widnik now. I am convinced that the AW149 will meet the Armed Forces’ high-end needs and those helicopters will provide them the best in class combat support. This is what the platform has been designed for.”

Powered by a pair of two-thousand shaft-horsepower General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines turning a four-blade, 47-foot-11-inch-diameter main-rotor, the AW149 is a two-pilot, 19-passenger, highly-capable, superbly-agile, well-armed, and eminently-survivable medium multi-role military helicopter. The aircraft is optimized for battlefield missions the likes of: troop transport and re-supply/external load lift; medical and casualty evacuation; Search and Rescue (SAR) and personnel recovery; special forces operations; close air support/armed escort; Command and Control (C2); and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

The AW149 amalgamates performance, lower life-cycle costs, and day/night all-weather capability in a single platform. The aircraft’s large, rapidly reconfigurable cabin is capable of accommodating a wide range of mission-specific equipment packages and weapon systems. Moreover, the AW149’s open-architecture mission system facilitates quick and effective integration of objective- and customer-specific avionics, weapons, and defensive systems. The helicopter is day/night capable with a single pilot Night Vision Goggle (NVG) compatible, low workload glass cockpit.

The AW149’s commendable battlefield survivability is attributable to the high degrees of ballistic tolerance engineered into its rotor-blades and airframe. Occupant safety is bolstered by a crashworthy fuselage and seats, energy-absorbing landing gear and undercarriage substructures, self-sealing fuel-tanks, a fully-integrated defensive aids suite, and advanced armor. The AW149’s main gearbox features a fifty-minute dry run capability.

The AW149’s spacious, uncluttered cabin and large, bilateral sliding-doors are conducive to the rapid and contemporaneous transport of heavily laden troops and combat-essential equipment and supplies. In addition to supporting the fast roping and hoist operations salient to troop insertion and extraction, the aforementioned sliding doors permit AW149 crews to engage in simultaneous cover fire from window-mounted machine guns.

FMI: www.helicopters.leonardo.com