Firstly, Training-Attack helicopters. Poland Presents Helicopter Priorities
Photo. Mirosław Mróz
„We are not cancelling any contract; only the priorities for introducing specific platforms are changing,” said Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Bejda about the cancellation of the procurement procedure for 32 S-70i helicopters. The ministry wants to purchase training-combat helicopters first.
The tender for 32 helicopters was cancelled at the end of May.
„Contrary to what some media write and some opposition politicians say, we have not withdrawn from any contract for S-70i helicopters,” Bejda told reporters on Friday. „A procedure was conducted, which has now been closed. The geopolitical situation, the war in Ukraine; what Russia is buying to equip its military, and the missions that our air forces are carrying out as part of NATO commitments,” he added.
He recalled that the Armament Agency is executing 400 contracts worth PLN 560 billion, and more than 120 proceedings are underway, „which will end with signed contracts.” He justified not disclosing figures by saying that „we cannot discuss amounts” due to ongoing talks. He assured that the Ministry of Defence scrutinizes every zloty before it’s spent, and that „the lion’s share of the contracted amounts will stay within Polish industrial plants.” „What was turned upside down, we are putting back on its feet, cleaning up the procurement mess created by the previous government,” he said.
Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army Gen. Wiesław Kukuła presented the priorities for procuring rotary‐wing aircraft in line with the concept of developing helicopter aviation. „We decided to change the priorities in acquiring individual platforms so that we can better adapt to the challenges of future war, but also take into account that soon F-35 aircraft and AH-64 helicopters will land on Polish soil, the Miecznik ships will enter service, and to consider the progress already made in acquiring a modern helicopter fleet,” Kukuła said. Attack/trainer helicopters, multirole maritime shipboard helicopters, heavy transport helicopters for the Land Forces« aviation needs, and search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters are to be treated as priorities. „Moreover, we also see room for acquiring platforms related to special operations,” he added, listing a multirole special operations helicopter, a light special operations helicopter, and a multirole support helicopter for the Land Forces.
The procurement procedure for helicopters produced at PZL Mielec, which belongs to the Lockheed Martin conglomerate, was cancelled on May 23. In its justification, the Armament Agency cited guidelines stating that „the contracting authority cancels a procedure if a significant change in circumstances has occurred, making it no longer in the public interest to continue the procedure or execute the contract, and that this could not have been foreseen earlier.”
„Deep outrage and a strong protest” against the cancellation of the procedure was expressed in an open letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz by the „Solidarity” trade union of PZL Mielec.
The procedure concerned 32 multirole S-70i Black Hawk helicopters in an armed version, capable of close cooperation with AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters both in engaging land targets and in logistical support. The helicopters were supposed to go to Army Aviation units, which will also operate the AH-64. Currently, the Polish armed forces have eight Black Hawks used by special forces, delivered under the 2019 contract.