Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1308154
The Polish army and other Polish institutional clients can get a new Polish helicopter on the proven AW139 platform at a similar price scale as the modernized Sokół today. This helicopter – AW139 was developed with the participation of Polish engineers and techni- cians, yet before the Polish plant became a part of Leonardo. That's why Poland is entitled to tell the helicopter that it is also Polish. PZL-Świdnik was a risk sharing partner at that time. Today, PZL- Świdnik manufactures hulls for the AW139, but also components for many Leonardo helicopters and for other companies from the aviation industry. Why not to produce the entire, modern, new Polish helicopter? The new Polish multirole helicopter based on the AW139 platform would be manufactured in Poland and delivered to national and export markets. The new Polish helicopter variant may be exported as a local product, including G2G schemes through the Polish Government. In our opinion, the Leonardo's proposition means nothing but benefits for Poland: it uniquely combines a modern and proven platform reducing the risk to a minimum with the capability of PZL- Swidnik and a global leader like Leonardo to adapt the platform to Polish needs. If the MoD decides that the future helicopter will be a true multirole platform with specialized versions - there will be significant savings resulting from economies of scale and cheaper through-life-cycle service. The launch of new programmes will also create a number of highly skilled jobs and would contribute signifi- cantly to regional and national development through investments in new infrastructures and enhancement of know-how. Helicopters may fly out of the Polish plant instead of being exported in pieces. PZL-Świdnik may rise to a higher level of innovation, so that future Polish export would have high added value. 3. Is the offer, namely the offered aircraft, going to be made solely with the price criterion taken into the account, or is the company considering different variants of the bid, thus offering aircraft that would meet the user requirements or even surpass them? We made clear our readiness to submit an offer, so of course we also analyzed the initial requirements of "Perkoz". In our opinion, the current AW139 platform already meets most of those "Perkoz" requirements. However, our offer to build a Polish helicopter and lo- cate its production and development centre in Świdnik goes beyond the nearest projects of the Armament Inspectorate. For the future of PZL-Swidnik, we intend to outline and implement new develop- ment goals that would give the company a fresh impetus and also help the aerospace industry to overcome the current crisis caused by coronavirus. For specific applications we're of course ready to offer alternatives on a similar basis. 4. Should the Leonardo AW139 bid be selected, to what extent the Polish industry would be involved in manufacturing and maintenan- ce activities on the platform in question? Our proposal, the new Polish multirole helicopter based on AW139 platform, is founded on the total "polonization" of the new multiro- le platform in order to have a product 100% made in Poland. This means: manufacturing assembly, design and development of the customization, Support & Maintenance Services will be made by polish companies. Not only PZL-Swidnik but important and strate- gic Polish companies can be deeply involved like for instance PGZ Group, ITWL and others. 5. Considering the Perkoz program provisions, what armament and electronic systems can be integrated on the "Polish" AW139 variant? Anything based on customer choice to integrate is possible for this multirole platform: door-mounted machine guns (various calibers), externally mounted loads including guided and unguided rockets, machine guns, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. International and of course Polish suppliers of the armament including ammu- nition can be included into cooperation. Also we can name advanced flight and navigation systems for day and night operations, exclusive collision avoidance and ground proximity sensors, synthetic vision and enhanced NVG capabilities, tactical communicators, advanced 4-axis autopilot with mission modes, advanced satellite navigation, unique Full Ice Protection, INTERVIEW