have since been serviced by Airbus-owned
PZL Warszawa-Okęcie in Warsaw.
Ex-USAF Hercules
Five C-130Es were delivered in 2009-12.
Produced in 1971, these had each clocked up
20-22,000 flying hours with the US Air Force. They
underwent structural inspection and received new
wing centre sections and a limited modernisation.
This included installation of an AN/ARC-232 radio,
AN/ALR-69(V) radar warning receiver, ATK’s AN/
AAR-47(V)1 missile warning system, AN/ALE-
47 chaff and flare dispenser, AN/APX-119 IFF,
traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and
Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System
(EGPWS). Furthermore, the Polish Hercules
received an ARN-137 VHF omni-directional
range (VOR)/ILS receiver, MAGR2000S GPS
receiver and AN/APN-241 navigation radar.
Since January 2016, programmed depot
maintenance (PDM) has been performed
by WZL-2 in Bydgoszcz; it is required
approximately every five years. According to
the schedule, each aircraft inspection takes
11-12 months and the final machine should
leave Bydgoszcz at the beginning of next year.
Indigenous M28
Another 3. SLTr transport is the M28
Bryza produced by PZL Mielec as a
development of the Soviet An-28 Cash.
The 8. BLTr exclusively flies airframes
brought up to glass cockpit standard, which
provides additional capabilities and is used
to prepare new pilots for the C295M. Older
versions of the M28 are located in Powidz.
These aircraft are primarily used to transport
paratroopers, transfer special forces (thanks to
their short take-off and landing properties and
NVG compatibility) and for logistics flights.
VIP fl eet
Poland recently acquired two Gulfstream
G550s adapted to carry 16 passengers in
a VIP cabin. After a bidding process was
announced in August 2016, a contract was
signed the following November. The first
aircraft was delivered in June 2017 and
the second last July. Pilot training took
place throughout 2017 and in August this
year the crews finally obtained required
permissions (based on flight hours and
relevant certificates) and are ready to conduct
their head-of-state transport missions.
After the Tu-154 crash, medium-range
flights were conducted by Embraer 175s
leased from LOT Polish Airlines. The Boeing
737 was the result of a tender for the
purchase of a ‘medium’ aircraft to transport
Polish government officials. Under the initial
agreement, Boeing committed to delivering
a second-hand aircraft and two newly built
Boeing Business Jets (BBJs). After additional
negotiations, the second-hand jet was replaced
by a brand new 737-800 manufactured for but
not delivered to a commercial airline – the entire
contract cost PLN 2.5bn (around $668.8m).
The first 737-800 was delivered at the end of
2017 to begin practical crew training. Currently,
this machine has a ‘standard’ economy-class
configuration with a 3+3 seating layout, but is
due to be upgraded to BBJ2 standard – with a
Polish Air Force W-3RL
helicopters operate in SAR
groups. This is W-3RL
serial 0701 from the 1.
Grupa Poszukiwawczo-
Ratownicza (1. GPR,
1st Search and Rescue
Group) at Świdwin.http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #369 DECEMBER 2018 // 53
Above: Gulfstream G550 serial 0002 is the second
of the type to be delivered to the 1. BLTr. The titles
on the fuselage – Rzeczpospolita Polska – are the
traditional and offi cial name of the Polish State.
Below: A pair of Mi-17-1V ‘Hips’ assigned to the 7.
eds. The nearest machine carries a sniper (armed
with a 50-calibre Barrett rifl e) in the cabin door
and both aircraft have their clamshell rear doors
removed for rapid egress/ingress.