Perkoz Programme Launched: Poland to Procure New Support Helicopters
The Armament Inspectorate of the Polish MoD has just announced the launch of technical dialogue, concerning the acquisition of 32 support helicopters, codename Perkoz.
According to the information released by the Armament Inspectorate, the Perkoz helicopters are to be procured in 3 variants:
Combat support/advanced training variant;
Command variant;
Reconnaissance and EW variant.
The details would be provided to the entities that would be approved to participate in the dialogue, in the form of an RFI. The ability to transport 5 soldiers with a full kit or 1,000 kg of cargo is the sole requirement that is known publicly as for now. The training capability requirement would force the suppliers to deliver aircraft with dual controls and two engines. The ability to carry out close support and recce missions would mean that the new helicopters should also be able to carry armament and optoelectronic sensor/targeting suite.
The dialogue that has been planned to take place between July and December 2020 is to cover the following matters of key importance:
Assessment whether the aircraft offered meet the preliminarily defined requirements;
Estimates pertaining to the cost of procurement, operation, and withdrawal;
Procurement timeline estimation;
Determination of conditions pertaining to delivery, training, and logistics;
Definition of handing-off and QA procedures pertaining to the military equipment in question;
Option of maintaining or establishing maintenance and servicing and manufacturing potential, should the task fall within the Basic National Security Interest category.
According to the requirements outlined, the Perkoz programme is aimed at replacing the Mi-2 helicopters stationed at the 41st Training Aviation Base. These rotary-wing assets are used to train the helicopter pilots at the Air Force Academy in Dęblin. They are also utilized for advanced training and other missions at the operational units.
PREMIUM: Polish Hoplite replacement plan hits a hitch
Perkoz light helicopter procurement programme is part-suspended less than a year after it was launched.
Technical dialogue work has been suspended on the Perkoz programme to select a new light helicopter for the Polish Armed Forces, the MoD Armament Inspectorate confirmed in early April.
A spokesperson for the Armament Inspectorate told Shephard that analytical work on Perkoz continues unaffected, and the technical dialogue may resume ...
Poland Indefinitely Suspends Its Perkoz Helicopter Procurement Programme (2. April 2021)
Defence24.pl found out that the Armament Inspectorate of the Polish Ministry of Defence decided to suspend the technical dialogue concerning the Perkoz helicopter procurement programme. The information was provided to us via off-the-record channels and was received by the entities involved in the procedure on 16th March, from the Head of the Aviation Technology Division of the Armament Inspectorate. Until the publication of the article, the Armament Inspectorate did not respond to our inquiries on the matter.
The above means that delays may be expected, when it comes to the introduction of a new helicopter platform that was to replace the o obsolete Mi-2 helicopters, and, to some extent, the Mi-8, supporting the existing W-3 Sokół fleet. Some of the legacy aircraft will need to continue their service as well.
We do not know the official reasons behind the suspension.
This is yet another postponement of this project. Between 2018 and 2019 a decision was made not to include it in the Polish military’s Technical Modernization Plan covering the timeline until 2026. This decision was justified by the priority shift to the Kruk attack helicopter program. The latter, as confirmed by the spokesman for the Armament Inspectorate, Major Krzysztof Płatek, is still in the analytical-conceptual phase.
Poland buys further Black Hawks for special forces
Poland has finalised the procurement of a further four Lockheed Martin S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to add to the four already received.
The Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) signed for the additional Black Hawks on 15 December, saying that the PLN666 million (USD162.5 million) deal has been concluded with Polskie “Zakłady Lotniczy (PZL) Mielec which domestically builds the helicopters.
Neben den vier S-70i umfasst der Vertrag auch ein Logistik- und Ausbildungspaket. Zwei S-70i werden 2023 übergeben, alle vier Hubschrauber sollen bis Ende Oktober 2024 geliefert sein. Damit wächst die Hubschrauberflotte der Spezialeinsatzkräfte auf acht S-70i. Die Ausstattung der Helikopter ist vertraulich.