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MSPO 2024: Search And Rescue variant of Black Hawk from Mielec

During this year’s MSPO, PZL Mielec showcased the well-known S-70i Black Hawk helicopter, which is manufactured at the Mielec facility of the Lockheed Martin corporation. This time, the helicopter was presented in a search and rescue configuration.

According to representatives of the Polish manufacturer, this configuration best reflects the core product, which is a multi-role helicopter designed for various tasks. Importantly, the S-70i helicopter, regardless of the chosen configuration, retains the ability to perform other missions, such as transport, medical evacuation, or medical transport, among others. This means that every S-70i user can easily reconfigure the helicopter for missions typically carried out by specialized helicopters. It can rescue endangered individuals, perform patrol missions in flooded areas, deliver food and supplies to regions affected by disasters or armed conflicts.


The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter, manufactured by PZL in Mielec, showcased at MSPO 2024

The S-70 Black Hawk was designed with military requirements in mind, which are significantly more stringent than the certification requirements used in civil aviation. This gives its designers much more flexibility and ensures safety during its use in civilian missions (such as search and rescue), providing durability typical of helicopters operating in combat environments.


The Airtep evacuation platform allows for the retrieval and transport of up to 10 people on a hook under the helicopter’s fuselage. Next to it, stretchers and a basket are visible, used for evacuating injured individuals during rescue missions


A fast-roping line allows rescuers to quickly descend to the ground, and a winch enables the evacuation of injured individuals using stretchers or an evacuation basket / Photos: Grzegorz Sobczak, MILMAG

Along with the helicopter, its rescue equipment was also presented, including the Airborne Tactical Extraction Platform (AirTEP). Its structure is collapsible, and once unfolded, it allows the helicopter to transport 10 people under the external cargo hook. The platform was designed for wide use in military missions such as CSAR, tactical support, combat, Medevac, and personnel evacuation. It can also be used in civil defense missions such as SAR, Medevac, firefighting, special deliveries, and missions related to humanitarian disasters.

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