Defence & Space

NP Aerospace Expands Civilian Armoured Vehicles Support

British-based NP Aerospace launches their proven through-life support services package into the Civilian Armoured Vehicles market

2025-07-21 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

The Koreans are testing a 130mm gun for the next-generation K3 tank

According to reports, the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem has tested a prototype of a domestically developed 130mm smoothbore gun designed for the…

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Blackout in Spain – A Discussion on Power Security with Experts from Forum Energii

The recent blackout in Spain has brought Poland’s energy security back into the media headlines and public conversation. Given the current…

2025-07-16 | Tadeusz Jakliński | 25 minutes

SIPRI: Nuclear risks grow as new arms race looms

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published a report entitled SIPRI Yearbook 2025, which, among other things, discusses the issue of…

2025-06-16 | Redakcja | 10 minutes

The Koreans are testing a 130mm gun for the next-generation K3 tank

According to reports, the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem has tested a prototype of a domestically developed 130mm smoothbore gun designed for the…

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Russian Patent for an Assault Tank with a 152mm Howitzer

The Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov has presented a patent for an assault tank armed with a short-barreled 152mm howitzer.

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Orion: The Force Multiplier that led the IDF to unmatched ground superiority

Orion, developed by Asio Technologies in collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) technology division and in full operational deployment by the IDF, has…

2025-07-09 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

SKW Cryptographic Security Certificate for Polish Comp@n Radio Set from the WB Group

The WB Group announced that the Comp@n system radio set, developed by its subsidiary Radmor, along with the Cryptographic Document Management…

2025-06-14 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Wescom Defence to Unveil ATMIS Multispectral Camouflage at DSEI 2025

Wescom Defence, a trusted provider of pyrotechnics, energetics and a wide range of reliable products and systems to global defence forces, will officially…

2025-07-14 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

2nd S.E.A.L Conference under Our media patronage

We are pleased to announce that MILMAG Military Magazine has become the media patron of the second edition of the SE.A.L Conference,…

2025-07-11 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

NP Aerospace Expands Civilian Armoured Vehicles Support

British-based NP Aerospace launches their proven through-life support services package into the Civilian Armoured Vehicles market

2025-07-21 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

The Koreans are testing a 130mm gun for the next-generation K3 tank

According to reports, the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem has tested a prototype of a domestically developed 130mm smoothbore gun designed for the…

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Illegal migration to Europe in the first five months of 2025

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has published statistics on attempted illegal crossings of the EU’s external borders in the…

2025-07-08 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

LOT Polish Airlines Selected for Air Transport and MEDEVAC under the EU’s rescEU Program

LOT Polish Airlines has signed an agreement to provide air transport and MEDEVAC services. As part of the EU’s rescEU instrument under…

2025-07-07 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

The Koreans are testing a 130mm gun for the next-generation K3 tank

According to reports, the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem has tested a prototype of a domestically developed 130mm smoothbore gun designed for the…

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Russian Patent for an Assault Tank with a 152mm Howitzer

The Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov has presented a patent for an assault tank armed with a short-barreled 152mm howitzer.

2025-07-16 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Poland and Armenia strengthen defense and economic cooperation

Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of National Defence, Paweł Bejda, met with the Deputy Minister of Defence of the…

2025-07-15 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Illegal migration to Europe in the first five months of 2025

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has published statistics on attempted illegal crossings of the EU’s external borders in the…

2025-07-08 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

ICEYE unveils machine learning-powered Flood Rapid Impact Product to revolutionize response

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE, a specialist in satellite-powered disaster management solutions, has announced the launch of Flood Rapid Impact (FRI).

2025-07-15 | Redakcja | 5 minutes

LYOFOOD Pierogi Become First Polish Dish Eaten in Space

Yesterday, during a live broadcast from the International Space Station, our astronaut Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, together with Axiom-4 mission commander Peggy…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes
Shooting

Grand Power Q1 MK23 & P1 MK23 – Another Way

Is it still possible to make something interesting that comes in the form of a “plastic” pistol with a metal slide? Can it look,…

2025-07-24 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 16 minutes

Galvion’s Caiman Helmets from Gdańsk

Two weeks have passed since the memorable Monday, June 23, of this year. The emotions have settled, and the long…

2025-07-10 | Dariusz Borkowski | 10 minutes

Upgraded Z8i Scope from SWAROVSKI OPTIK

Swarovski Optik, the Austrian optics manufacturer with nearly 80 years of tradition, has unveiled an upgraded version of its Z8i…

2025-07-03 | Mariusz Piwowar | 3 minutes

Streamlight introduces the SL-SideSaddle

Streamlight, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting tools, announces the SL-SideSaddle series, a new hands-free lighting solution built for outdoor adventure…

2025-07-01 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Galvion’s Caiman Helmets from Gdańsk

Two weeks have passed since the memorable Monday, June 23, of this year. The emotions have settled, and the long…

2025-07-10 | Dariusz Borkowski | 10 minutes

Helikon-Tex presents: tailor-made kits for shooters

As the shooting season gains momentum, Helikon-Tex has decided to help shooters choose the essential gear and accessories tailored to the specific type…

2025-07-01 | Mariusz Piwowar | 4 minutes

Galvion’s Caiman Helmets from Gdańsk

Two weeks have passed since the memorable Monday, June 23, of this year. The emotions have settled, and the long…

2025-07-10 | Dariusz Borkowski | 10 minutes

CZ Shooting Team athletes take home 13 medals from the CZ Extreme Euro Open

Sport shooters representing Ceska zbrojovka brought back six gold, four silver, and three bronze medals from Hodonice, along with four…

2025-07-04 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Grand Power Q1 MK23 & P1 MK23 – Another Way

Is it still possible to make something interesting that comes in the form of a “plastic” pistol with a metal slide? Can it look,…

2025-07-24 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 16 minutes

CZ Introduces the New CZ P-10 C PORTED Model

CZ P-10 C PORTED – a compact pistol with tamed recoil thanks to an integrated compensator.

2025-07-02 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Paris Air Show 2025: Bayraktar TB3 Debuts

The 55th edition of the International Paris Air and Space Show, held in the French capital, provided an opportunity for Baykar…

2025-06-19 | Radosław Niesobski | 3 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold a permit, with…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of Poles.…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 9 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Grand Power Q1 MK23 & P1 MK23 – Another Way

Is it still possible to make something interesting that comes in the form of a “plastic” pistol with a metal slide? Can it look,…

2025-07-24 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 16 minutes

Meprolight MMX3 and MMX4 – Lightweight Magnifiers with Quality Optics

The Mepro MMX3 and MMX4, a new line of compact magnifiers from the Israeli manufacturer. How do they perform in practice and how…

2025-06-27 | Krzysztof Ptak | 8 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

The First Flight Of Polish AW101

The first of the four multipurpose AW101 helicopters ordered by Poland took to the air for its first flight from the Leonardo Helicopters airfield.

In the afternoon of July 19 at the Leonardo Helicopters’s Yeovil airstrip, the first of the four 16 ton multipurpose AW101 helicopters ordered by Poland took to the air for its first flight. Fully delivery of the four helicopters intended for the Polish Naval Aviation Brigade should be complete by the end of the next year.

The first of the four multipurpose AW101 helicopters ordered by Poland took to the air for its first flight from the Leonardo Helicopters airfield.

The preparations for the flight test have been taking place since June 27, when the helicopter with temporary UK registration number ZR285 was photographed by spotters on the airstrip in front of the final assembly hangar, still without the main rotor blades. Further photographs of the finished helicopter appeared on the web on July 12. Before the flight test itself, on July 17, Leonardo Helicopters’ technicians performed ground tests.

The Polish Ministry Of National Defence ordered four AW101 helicopters on April 26, 2019, for 1.65 billion złoty. The purchase covered training and logistic support, together with medical equipment. The helicopters were ordered in Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR/SAR) and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) configurations.

Earlier, on April 8, 2019, the Ministry Of National Defense signed a 395,882,751 złoty worth offset agreement with Leonardo MW, Thales DMS France, and MES (Meccanica per L’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi). It covers nine obligations, whose main beneficients will be Military Aviation Works—WZL1 and Marine Military Technologies Center of Gdansk University Of Technology. A new Helicopter Operations Support Center is formed in Łódź, which will be providing full technical support, servicing, and repairs of the new helicopters, which required acquisition of the technological know-how regarding their support. A relevant executive contract was signed on January 8, 2020.

By the end of 2022, 44th Naval Aviation Base in Darłowo will receive four AW101 helicopters in CSAR/ASW configurations where they will replace old Mi-14PŁ and Mi-14PŁ/R / Photos: MON

While the final assembly of AW101 is taking place in the United Kingdom, some of the helicopter parts are being produced in Leonardo-owned PZL-Świdnik works. On December 6, 2019, production of the two first structural elements was announced: a lower frontal part of the hull (including floor of the crew cabin) and a ceiling plate. Świdnik also makes fairing assemblies for engines and transmissions, nose compartment and fairing, avionics boxes, hatches, main and side consoles, rear fuselage, and rear ramp. PZL-Świdnik also received certification regarding designing and installing internal medical and rescue gear, upholstery, servicing key systems, removal and application of paint coatings, and balancing the helicopters.

Little is known regarding helicopters’ other equipment. Photos published by spotters showed a lack of a loading ramp. On September 17, 2020, French company Thales announced an order of Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters (FLASH) sonar system for Polish AW101. FLASH is a submersible, broadband, low-frequency (3-5 kHz) sonar used for detection and localization of underwater threats. Its maximum operational depth is 750 meters, it can be lowered or raised 8.5 meters per second. The device weighs 306 kg with a cable.

It was unofficially mentioned that the helicopters will receive gunnery stations with 5.56 or 7.62 mm machine guns. There are also talks of ordering four more helicopters (purchase of eight vehicles had been planned until 2018, when the number was cut down to half). Polish AW101 will be stationed at the 44th Naval Aviation Base in Darłowo, where they will replace worn out Mi-14PŁ and Mi-14PŁ/R.

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