Polish Army takes delivery of its first two Leonardo AW149 helicopters

On October 30, 2023, at the facilities of the 7th Airborne Division in Nowy Glinnik and with the participation of the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, the ceremony of reception of the first two Leonardo AW149 helicopters for the Polish Army Airborne Forces took place.

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The first two of 32 AW 149 type multipurpose support helicopters contracted last year with PZL-Świdnik (a subsidiary of Leonardo) arrived at the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade. The helicopters successfully passed state tests confirming that they meet the requirements set by the Polish Armed Forces. A series of training sessions were also held for the first group of technical and flight personnel.

W #NowyGlinnik rozpoczęło się spotkanie ministra @mblaszczak z żołnierzami @25BKPow. Dziś na wyposażenie #25BKPow przekazane zostały pierwsze egzemplarze zamówionych w 2022 roku śmigłowców #AW149. pic.twitter.com/LnJ7K0K1xx

— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej ???????? (@MON_GOV_PL) October 30, 2023

Polish contract

The contract signed on July 1, 2022 between the State Treasury, Armaments Agency and PZL-Świdnik S.A. and valued at over $1.96 billion, includes the supply of 32 AW149 multipurpose helicopters for the Polish Army Aviation, as well as their corresponding logistics and training packages and simulators.

The logistics package includes a stock of spare parts and consumables and equipment for ground support of the helicopters. The training-simulator package includes comprehensive training of pilots and technical personnel and delivery of a set of advanced simulators and training equipment.

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In the Polish Army, the new helicopters will perform both troop transport and subdivision air support missions. The helicopters’ equipment will also allow them to be used for combat evacuation, search and rescue (CSAR) operations, as well as for transporting goods and supplies.

The AW149s ordered from PZL-Świdnik/Leonardo are equipped, among other things, with observation and targeting systems, support machine guns, guided missiles (Hellfire), guided/unguided rockets and self-defense systems. The armament, depending on the variant of use of the helicopter and the assigned mission, can be installed in the cabin or on the external suspension points of the fuselage.

See also: Poland moves forward with procurement of 22 AW101 heavy helicopters

Basic features of the Leonardo AW149

The AW-149 helicopter is a multi-purpose military helicopter capable of VFR/IFR (Visual Flight Rules/Instrumental Flight Rules) day/night and NVC (Night Vision Conditions) flights. The maximum take-off weight is 8,300 kg with the possibility of increasing up to 8,600 kg. The helicopter has a maximum speed of 313 km/h and a cruising speed of 287 km/h. The crew consists of two people, although basic tasks can be performed by a single pilot. The maximum range is 958 km and the maximum flight duration is 4 hours and 55 minutes. The AW-149 can carry up to 19 passengers on board and its cabin can be quickly reconfigured to perform a wide range of missions.