헬리콥터 폴란드, CH-47F 치누크 조달 추진

[위종민]

폴란드의 블라디스와프 코시니악-카미쉬 국방장관이 대형 수송헬기 구매를 검토중이고, 보잉의 CH-47F 치누크가 가장 우선적인 검토 대상이라고 밝혔네요. 조달목표 수량은 밝히지 않았습니다. 군사임무 외에 폴란드 남서부를 휩쓴 홍수와 같은 자연재해 구호 임무에도 유용하다고 평가했네요. 

Polish government eyes Chinook buy as heavy-lift military workhorse

Polish government eyes Chinook buy as heavy-lift military workhorse

By Jaroslaw Adamowski

 Oct 22, 2024, 01:16 AM

U.S. Army soldiers conduct preflight checks and load cargo onto CH-47 Chinooks Aug. 27, 2023, at al-Asad air base, Iraq. (Sgt. 1st Class Shane Hamann/Army National Guard)

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.