Airbus Helicopters has demonstrated the capabilities of its Tiger HAD attack and EC725 Caracal multi-mission helicopters to the Polish military at the recently concluded MSPO Expo in Poland.
Poland is planning to acquire 32 new attack helicopters under the Kruk (Raven) attack helicopter acquisition programme at a cost of PLN11.6bn ($3.8bn) for replacement of the Polish Army’s Mil Mi-24 helicopter fleet, as reported by IHS Jane’s.
Airbus claims that EC725 Caracal meets Poland’s mission requirements by performing a broad spectrum of missions from special operations to combat search and rescue, tactical transport and medical evacuation.
The company notes that the Tiger HAD helicopter is already in service in France, Germany, Spain and Australia, and readily addresses Poland’s requirements for its acquisition of attack helicopters.
Airbus Helicopters president Guillaume Faury said: "The EC725 and Tiger HAD are modern and battle-proven, having shown their full capabilities in real combat situations.
"In addition to offering these high-performance rotorcraft to Poland, Airbus Helicopters stands alone in proposing a comprehensive and integrated solution for the country’s needs from a single aircraft manufacturer, thereby providing a unique logistics system and an unequalled industrial arrangement with Poland’s aviation sector."
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By GlobalDataThe company’s offerings received a boost from the French Army Aviation, which provided its feedback from operations with Tiger HAD and EC725 Caracal in tandem, emphasising their interoperability at the event.
French Army aviation head General Olivier de la Motte said: "The two aircraft were efficient and complementary in Afghanistan and Mali.
"They are perfectly adapted to the modern and asymmetric wars we face today."
The Polish Defence Ministry issued a request for information (RFI) for the project in July and claimed that ten companies had responded to the initial solicitation, reported Flightglobal.
Image: The Tiger HAD and EC725 Caracal helicopters being displayed at MSPO Expo in Poland. Photo: copyright Airbus Helicopters / Paul Szczecinski.