Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/840553
assessed for naval aviation. Both were supplied in the late 1989. These were the first W-3 in Polish Armed Forces. Throughout their operating period by 2014, they had been used for transport-support tasks, and for Anakonda crew training. At the beginning of 1990, the Ministry of National Defence announced a requirement for a new type of a medium rescue helicopter to replace the Mi-2RM. Like in the case of its predecessor, successful trials were to give a green light to a purchase of as many as 16 helicopters – a 1:1 replacement, keeping a few available heavy Mi-14PSs, made it possible to develop the potential and restore the concept of construction of the third SAR base. Due to an economic crisis in Poland, and a resulting collapse of the program of technical modernization, such demand was only a wishful thinking, and there were no real funds to cover it. In April 1991, PZL Świdnik test-flied a W-3RM helicopter number of 0411, registered later on as SP-SYG. It was a prototype designed for naval aviation trials. Successful trials led to a quick order of the first four serial helicopters, which were delivered in the period 1992–1993 – and all made it to the then 18th Naval Support Aviation Squadron. Putting them into service made it possible to remove the last rescue Mi-2RMs from AVIATION