Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1488818
military AW149s for Poland may be ma- nufactured in Italy though. It is difficult to imagine the infrastructure expansion at the facility in Ĺwidnik would progress at such a rapid pace. The global demand for AW149 may exceed 500 series-manufac- tured examples. Given AW139's success, that number may be underestimated. These estimations stem directly from the performance spec of this design. Contra- ry to the UH-60 for instance, nearing the final stages of its development, AW149's life has just begun. The implemented technological solutions allow the Italian helicopter to conduct a broad range of missions when it comes to the poten- tial requirements defined by the military user. These include airlift/insertion, CAS, SAR, or MEDEVAC/CASEVAC mission sets. One should also closely follow the delivery of helicopters to Poland. During the MSPO 2022 International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, the helicop- ter was showcased with a broad range of additional equipment, such as counter- measures, laser warning receivers, and armament, such as ATGMs. The advan- tages available through modern design will also soon be within reach for Poland. Whether Leonardo will be able to repe- at these successes in other countries, we've yet to learn. The Egyptian or Polish deals prove that the helicopter may be ra- pidly reconfigured to meet requirements defined by a myriad of customers. The manufacturing process, involving several of Leonardo's facilities, makes it possible to set out attractive delivery timelines. A broad catalogue of extra services, such as an instructor training program with a venue in Italy, is also not to be overlo- oked. Noteworthy, the criticism of using com- posite structures in military helicopter designs has been ungrounded, as the practical, operational experience has shown, following the combat deploy- www.fragoutmag.com