Poland will receive the first Leonardo AW101 Merlin anti-submarine helicopter under a $415 million contract

The Polish Armed Forces will soon receive an AW101 Merlin anti-submarine helicopter manufactured by Italian company Leonardo. It will arrive in the country and will await certification.

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The Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced about the imminent receipt of the helicopter. Certification of the aircraft will take place at the PZL-Swidnik plant. After that, the AW101 Merlin will be handed over to the Polish military.

Poland has ordered four Leonardo AW101 Merlin in 2019. The agreement, worth approximately $415 million, includes logistics, training and maintenance in addition to helicopters. Three more helicopters will be delivered by the end of September 2023.

Poland purchased the Leonard AW101 Merlin to replace the Soviet Mi-14s. The Polish version of the helicopter will receive the FLASH sonar made by French company Thales, which will improve its ability to counter submarines.

Source: Scramble