WARSAW, Poland — Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced the country is mulling plans to purchase heavy-lift helicopters for its armed forces, opening the door for another sizable U.S. arms export to the European nation.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook is a considered option because its capabilities “are unique and immense.” He did not disclose the number of copters that would be acquired under the program.
“I believe that [the Polish military] also needs larger helicopters which could provide efficient support by transporting ‘big bags,’ or soldiers, into locations that are difficult to access,” the minister said in an interview with local news site Portal Obronny. “I have not talked about it anywhere else, but, at the ministry, we are thinking about it because … we need such gear.”
In addition to their use for military operations, the new copters could also be used by the armed forces for disaster relief operations, according to Kosiniak-Kamysz. The politician was referring to the widespread floods which hit Poland’s south-western regions last month. On Sept. 18, the Polish Ministry of National Defence announced that around 14,000 soldiers were involved in the response to the floods.
With the potential purchase in mind, Boeing, the manufacturer of the Chinook, has intensified its efforts to promote the helo in the Polish market. The company presented the aircraft at the MSPO defense industry show, the country’s largest annual industry event, which was held between Sept. 2 and 5 in Kielce, central Poland.
Should Poland decide to purchase Chinook copters for its military, this would mark another major deal to be awarded by Warsaw to Boeing. In August 2024, the Polish ministry signed a contract with the United States government to buy 96 AH-64E Apache attack copters with related gear and weapons. The deal is worth around $10 billion.
Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.
Source link : https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/10/21/polish-government-eyes-chinook-buy-as-heavy-lift-military-workhorse/
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Publish date : 2024-10-21 16:16:00
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