Poland gets final W-3PL Głuszec

30th June 2016 - 14:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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PZL-Świdnik has delivered the last in the second series of four W-3PL Głuszec helicopters to the Polish armed forces, the company announced on 27 June.

The delivery brings the total number of Głuszec helicopters in the service of the Polish army to eight.

The W-3PL Głuszec helicopter is the newest version of the Sokół rotorcraft modernised to meet combat support standards. It has advanced avionics, integrated mission computer, and is designed to perform CSAR, combat support, troop and cargo transport, convoy duties, surveillance and targeting, and air assault.

The helicopter is fitted with a remote-controlled gun turret armed with a 12.7mm machine gun mounted under the nose of the helicopter; a double-barrel 23mm cannon in dispenser; NATO 70mm standard rocket launchers; MIL 1553 bus-controlled flare and dipole chaff dispensers; IR jammer; head-up display; 57mm and 80mm rockets, air-to-air missiles, and small diameter bombs.

The first four Głuszec rotorcrafts were delivered to the Polish Army in December 2010. Then the second contract was signed for upgrade of another four Sokół helicopters to W-3PL version.

PZL-Świdnik has also delivered the first two of five W-3RM Anakonda helicopters modernised to the maritime rescue version for the Polish Navy. Equipment is being adjusted to the W-3WA RM standard; and the navy's transport helicopters will be also adjusted in the future to perform rescue missions.

A new MRO centre to improve the client and product support has also now opened, where maintenance and repair works for PZL-Świdnik helicopters will be carried out, including Mi-2, Sokół, Anakonda, SW-4, and in the future also other aircraft used by both Polish and foreign operators.