https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air- ... -of-asking“In the near future, we will sign contracts for the supply of […] AW149 multirole support helicopters […],” the minister said. While Błaszczak offered no details on contract values, aircraft numbers, or delivery timelines, Polish media has reported as many as 32 helicopters being acquired. Leonardo had not responded to a Janes request for comment at the time of publication.
Poland picks AW149 for Perkoz helicopter requirement
No details of the quantity of AW149s to be acquired have been disclosed, although Polish news site Defence 24 reports that 32 helicopters will be purchased as part of the nation’s Perkoz programme.
The Polish Land Forces currently operate 44 Mil Mi-2 and 27 Mi-8/17 helicopters, Cirium fleets data records.
Leonardo Helicopters had previously proposed the smaller AW139W for the requirement, with the intermediate-twins to be built at the manufacturer’s Polish subsidiary PZL-Swidnik.
Defence 24 says the AW149s will also be assembled in Swidnik. Leonardo Helicopters is also offering the same platform to the UK for its New Medium Helicopter requirement, although these would be built in Yeovil in southwest England.
https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopter ... 95.articleTo date, the AW149 has only been selected by Egypt and Thailand. It had been offered to Poland in the middle of last decade for a 70-unit requirement ultimately won by the Airbus Helicopters H225M before that acquisition was cancelled.