First AW-101 ASW Delivered To Poland
The beginning of August marks another modernization milestone achieved by the Polish Armed Forces. The first of the four AW-101 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft was successfully delivered by Augusta-Westland to the WZL Świdnik plant. The helicopters will most likely be delivered to the 44th Marine Aviation Base in Darłowo. Besides their anti-submarine and patrol roles, the AW-101 will also conduct Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations over the Baltic Sea.
The delivery of AW-101s is the final stage of the contract signed in April 2019. The deal worth 380 million euros contained a logistical and medical packet. The newest helicopters will replace the aging fleet of heavy post-Soviet Mi-14s which operated from Darłowo. Although the Mi-14s tend to be recognized as the best aircraft in their class, helicopters in the Polish service were on the margin of their service life, and immediate replacement was needed.
One of the key factors for signing the contract was the fact that WZL Świdnik is responsible for the production and delivery of some components for Augusta-Westland. The majority of the production, however, was conducted in Augusta’s plant in Yeoville, United Kingdom.
The AW-101 ASW/CSAR will cooperate with W-3WARM helicopters from the 44th Marine Aviation Airbase that will supplement rescue operations.
The purchase is however met with some criticism. As domestic experts note, Poland purchased only 4 AW-101 helicopters while the fleet of Mi14PL consisted of 12 aircraft (16 in total, 4 lost in accidents). The machines dedicated to both ASW and CSAR will not be able to conduct both operations at the same time. It is possible that more AW-101 will be obtained in the future. High costs of manufacture, resulting from high demands on the versatility of the aircraft set by the Polish Ministry of Defense, means that additional financial support from the parliament might be needed to finalize the next contracts in the midst of an extensive modernization program.