During MSPO 2014 the French EC665 TIGER HAD assault helicopter made its Polish debut. The main reason for its arrival in Poland is the Polish Kruk project, which aims to procure 30-32 new assault helicopters for the Polish Army. It will replace aging Mi-24D/W helicopters. According to Poland’s Ministry of National Defence (MoND), Kruk is one of the most important modernisation projects of the Polish Armed Forces. This programme was sped up in 2014 as a result of the Ukrainian crisis and emerging threat near Polish borders. According to the initial strategy, Poland wanted to acquire a new helicopter in 2020. Now the MoND wants a new generation helicopter in service two or three years earlier.
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The TIGER shown in Poland had desert camouflage and SPIKE-ER anti-tank missiles. It arrived from a factory of Airbus Helicopters in Marigne. During MSPO 2014, the TIGER HAD was presented by French personnel of 1er Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat. The French were the first to deploy those helicopters in combat conditions – in July 2009 three helicopters were sent to Afghanistan (until 2013). Later they were used in Libya and Mali.
As for the Kruk project, it is believed that the first tranche will cover 12 helicopters and the process of acquisition might even be launched this year, which will allow them to replace Mi-24Ds. The remaining 20 helicopters might be acquired by 2022.
Among potential contenders are: AgustaWestland AW129 MANGUSTA, TAI T129 ATAK, Bell AH-1Z COBRA, Boeing AH-64E GUARDIAN(with AH-6i) and the above-mentioned EC665 TIGER.
It was not the only helicopter presented during MSPO 2014. Visitors had an opportunity to see all three helicopters offered in a tender for 70 multi-role helicopters for the Polish Armed Forces: Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal, AgustaWestland AW-149 and two Sikorsky’s BLACK HAWKs: one UH-60L BLACK HAWK of US Army and one manufactured in Poland’s Mielec S-70i International HAWK. A contract with the winner should be signed in early 2015. Deliveries should start from 2016.
The TIGER shown in Poland had desert camouflage and SPIKE-ER anti-tank missiles. It arrived from a factory of Airbus Helicopters in Marigne. During MSPO 2014, the TIGER HAD was presented by French personnel of 1er Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat. The French were the first to deploy those helicopters in combat conditions – in July 2009 three helicopters were sent to Afghanistan (until 2013). Later they were used in Libya and Mali.
As for the Kruk project, it is believed that the first tranche will cover 12 helicopters and the process of acquisition might even be launched this year, which will allow them to replace Mi-24Ds. The remaining 20 helicopters might be acquired by 2022.
Among potential contenders are: AgustaWestland AW129 MANGUSTA, TAI T129 ATAK, Bell AH-1Z COBRA, Boeing AH-64E GUARDIAN(with AH-6i) and the above-mentioned EC665 TIGER.
It was not the only helicopter presented during MSPO 2014. Visitors had an opportunity to see all three helicopters offered in a tender for 70 multi-role helicopters for the Polish Armed Forces: Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal, AgustaWestland AW-149 and two Sikorsky’s BLACK HAWKs: one UH-60L BLACK HAWK of US Army and one manufactured in Poland’s Mielec S-70i International HAWK. A contract with the winner should be signed in early 2015. Deliveries should start from 2016.
Robert Czulda