The Polish Navy officially took delivery of three Leonardo AW101 multi-role helicopters to join the Naval Aviation Brigade.
The ceremony took place at the 44th Naval Aviation Base in Darlowo, northwestern Poland, and marked the beginning of the final phase in integrating the helicopters.
The helicopters are undergoing crew training as they move towards official enlistment in the military aircraft registry.
In April 2019, Poland signed a contract for four AW101 helicopters for $430 million. The fourth aircraft is expected to arrive at the base around the beginning of 2024. The aircraft will be maintained by Leonardo’s local subsidiary, PZL-Świdnik.
The AW101 helicopters are set to cover various missions for the Polish Navy including Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), replacing the current fleet of Soviet-era Mil Mi-14PL helicopters.
In August 2023, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak revealed that the authorities were negotiating the acquisition of an additional 22 AW101 multirole helicopters for the Polish Land Forces.