On Thursday, 27 November 2025, at the 7th Aviation Squadron of the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade in Nowy Glinnik, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz met with soldiers on the occasion of the rollout of the first Leonardo AW149 multirole support helicopter from the Polish production line for the Army Aviation branch. This type of rotorcraft is the successor to the W-3 Sokół.
Photos: Grzegorz Sobczak, MILMAG
“It is always a great moment when new equipment enters service with the Polish Army. Today, the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade is receiving the first AW149 helicopter produced in Poland, at PZL Świdnik. It is a very good, well-equipped helicopter manufactured in Poland. This shows that the military needs continuity in its activities, upgrading equipment and carrying out transformation. This cannot be achieved in a single year, a single term, or even two or three. The orders we place now will often be fulfilled over several years. What is good should be continued and modified, but not overturned. That is my guiding principle,” said the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence at the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade.
“I will continue good projects. The AW149 is a new, multirole helicopter which, in addition to being developed with our allies from Italy, is also produced in Poland. The first 10 of the 32 helicopters were delivered to us from Italy, but the remaining 22, including the one presented today and the ones to follow, will be manufactured in Poland. The role of this helicopter and its tasks include battlefield support and medical evacuation, these are assault, transport, and logistics operations. It is well equipped, with observation systems, communications systems, and armament,” said the Minister of National Defence during his visit to the unit (the first 10 came from Leonardo’s Italian production line in Varese-Venegono; although earlier, three were publicly mentioned—editor’s note).
Photos: Ministry Of National Defence
According to the contract of 1 July 2022 for the delivery of 32 AW149 helicopters along with logistics and training/simulator packages, the contractor, Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego (WSK) PZL-Świdnik (part of Italy’s Leonardo Helicopters), was obligated, under the agreement worth a total of 8.25 billion PLN, to establish an AW149 production line at the Świdnik plant. The first helicopter produced at WSK PZL-Świdnik is the eleventh helicopter manufactured under the contract. Thanks to the new production line, by 2029 another 21 AW149 helicopters from Świdnik will join the ranks of the Polish Armed Forces.
“As I have already said, I will continue good projects for the Polish Armed Forces and launch new ones, just like the Orka program yesterday. (…) I thank everyone who contributed to this success. I thank the pilots and ground personnel, as well as the command of the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade. Acquiring equipment is very important, but equally important is the preparation of all personnel,” emphasized the Deputy Prime Minister (Orka Program: Poland has chosen Swedish submarines).
On 11 August this year, the Armament Agency announced that deliveries of rotorcraft from the AW149 Final Assembly Line (FAL), together with the test station, special equipment installation line, and Flight Line (FL) located at WSK PZL-Świdnik, would begin in the autumn. On 10 October, it was reported that acceptance tests of the first two units, including one of those handed over today, had been completed. The facilities were officially inaugurated on 5 June 2024.
The 2022 contract also includes logistics and training/simulator packages. The logistics package comprises a stock of spare and consumable parts as well as equipment for ground handling of the helicopters. The training and simulator package includes comprehensive training for pilots and technical personnel, along with the delivery of a set of advanced simulators and training equipment.
The AW149 helicopter is a multirole military helicopter capable of performing VFR/IFR (Visual Flight Rules/Instrument Flight Rules) flights both day and night, as well as operating in NVC (Night Vision Conditions). Its maximum takeoff weight is 8,300 kg, with the possibility of increasing it to 8,600 kg. The helicopter’s maximum speed is 313 km/h, and its cruising speed is 287 km/h. The crew consists of two people, although basic tasks can be carried out by a single pilot. The maximum range is 958 km, and its maximum endurance is 4 hours and 55 minutes. The AW149 can carry up to 19 passengers.
The ordered helicopters, configured to meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, are equipped with, among other things, observation systems, machine-gun armament, guided and unguided rockets, and self-protection systems. Depending on how the helicopter is to be used, the weapons can be installed in the cabin or on the helicopter’s hardpoints.
On 30 May 2023, the Armament Agency signed a contract worth approximately 150 million USD (633 million PLN at the time) for the delivery of 800 AGM-114R2 Hellfire II air-to-ground anti-tank guided missiles for these helicopters (deliveries have already begun – editor’s note). The rotorcraft are powered by General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines with an output of 2,000 hp, under a contract signed with the U.S. company GE Aviation on 17 October 2022.
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Pierwszy śmigłowiec AW 149 z polskiej linii produkcyjnej zasila szeregi armii
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Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: To zawsze jest wielki moment, kiedy kolejny sprzęt trafia do polskiej armii. Dziś do 25 Brygady Kawalerii Powietrznej trafia pierwszy wyprodukowany w Polsce, w PZL… pic.twitter.com/gtXgvsiLJh— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) November 27, 2025
Wicepremier W @KosiniakKamysz: Śmigłowiec AW-149 to bardzo dobry, dobrze wyposażony i produkowany w Polsce śmigłowiec. To pokazuje, że wojsko potrzebuje ciągłości prowadzenia działań – modyfikacji sprzętu i transformacji. Nie da się jej przeprowadzić w ciągu jednego roku, jednej… pic.twitter.com/Cj8AM30ouL
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) November 27, 2025
AW-149 wyprodukowany w Polsce przekazany #WojskoPolskie! pic.twitter.com/0uuwU1XFpr
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) November 27, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: będę kontynuował dobre projekty dla #WojskoPolskie i otwierał nowe, tak jak wczoraj program #ORKA. (…) dziękuję wszystkim, którzy przyczynili się do tego sukcesu. Dziękuję pilotom i personelowi naziemnemu, dowództwu @25BKPow. Nabycie sprzętu jest… pic.twitter.com/Jy4PYYExI1
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) November 27, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: to zawsze wyjątkowy moment, kiedy do #WojskoPolskie trafia nowy, nowoczesny sprzęt. Dziś do @25BKPow trafia pierwszy wyprodukowany w Polsce w PZL Świdnik śmigłowiec AW-149. pic.twitter.com/cf7U7bPGaQ
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) November 27, 2025
Za nami decyzja o zakupie 3 okrętów podwodnych #ORKA i palenie blach pod okręt #RATOWNIK, a DZIŚ pierwszy śmigłowiec AW 149 z polskiej linii produkcyjnej trafia do @25BKPow. #WojskoPolskie codziennie się zmienia i modernizuje. Dzisiejsza uroczystość jest dowodem także na to, że… pic.twitter.com/cOdxrsYeJ2
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) November 27, 2025