The PZL W-3 Sokół (English: "Falcon") is a medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose
helicopter developed and manufactured by
Polish helicopter company
PZL-Świdnik, now owned by
Leonardo. It was the first helicopter entirely designed and produced in Poland.
During 1973, work commenced upon what would become the W-3 Sokół at PZL Świdnik; design work was performed by an in-house team led by aeronautical engineer Stanisław Kamiński. A major influence on the design was the perceived demands from both military and civilian aviation across the
Soviet Union, which was envisioned to serve as the major operator of the type. On 16 November 1979, the Sokół conducted its
maiden flight. Following an intensive test programme,
type certification for the helicopter was received from aviation authorities in Poland,
Russia, the
United States and
Germany.
During May 1993, certification of the Sokol to
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
FAR Part 29 standards was granted; it was followed by the receipt of German certification during December of that year. During 1985, low rate production of the Sokół commenced. In June 1996, the 100th Sokół was completed by the company.
Huzar derivative
During the 1990s, PZL-Świdnik heavily pursued the development of an envisioned Huzarbattlefield helicopter, which was to be based on the airframe of the W-3 Sokol and would have eventually involved the manufacture of 100 such attack helicopters under a tentative $350 million contract for the Polish Army.[2] While the programme was initiated by the company, it was heavily afflicted by repeated setbacks and delays as PZL-Świdnik's financial state worsened as well as the firm often waiting for years for development funds to be issued by the Polish government with which it could formally launch the next phase of development. When a contract for the helicopter's avionics and weapon systems was awarded within a government
memorandum of understanding (MoU) to an
Israeli consortium, consisting of armaments manufacturer
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and defense electronics company
Elbit Systems, making them the intended supplier for both the missiles and avionics for the helicopter.[2][3]
During 1998, the
Polish Council of Ministers issued its recommendation for the launch of a new tender in support of the envisioned Huzar.[2] Specifically, the tender sought an avionics and weapons systems integrator for the new rotorcraft, potentially replacing the originally selected Israeli consortium due to alleged irregularities involved in the prior arrangement's awarding.[3] American firm
Boeing, who led their own bid involving in excess of 20 separate companies, represented Elbit's chief competitor for the integration contract; at one point, it appeared that political changes to the competition had made Boeing the favourite to win the contract.[2] While Rafael's
NT-Danti-tank missile was selected, this was subject to the successful completion of several test launches; if it failed, rival bids from Boeing for the
AGM-114 Hellfire, British firm
GEC-Marconi with the
Brimstone and the Franko-German company
Euromissile's
HOT 3 missile.[2][3] The Israeli Government resisted breaking up its consortium for a separate avionics integration contract, stated it would refuse to release the NT-D missile unless it was also awarded the avionics bid, but reportedly softened on this stance.[2]
However, during mid-1999, the Polish government's plans for the Huzar helicopter were entirely abandoned, effectively ending development of the derivative immediately.[4] In its place, a smaller fleet of W-3 Sokol, modified for the support role, was to be adopted in the short term instead. Invitations for bids for the upgrading of 50 rotorcraft, including the adoption of new rotor blades, more powerful engines, extra fuel tanks and additional armaments, was issued thereafter. At the time,
Polish Prime MinisterJerzy Buzek stated that, for the long term requirement, a new tender for attack helicopter was to be issued by the end of June that year, and "we expect a decision in October or November"; the envisioned competition was to be contested by the
ItalianAgusta A129 Mangusta, the American
Bell AH-1W/Z Super Cobra and
Boeing AH-64 Apache, the
EuropeanEurocopter Tiger and
South AfricanDenel Rooivalk attack helicopters.[4][5] Poland ultimately chose to pursue a relatively modest stopgap plan to upgrade its existing
Mil Mi-24 fleet with Israeli-built equipment.[6][7]
Further development
During the early 2000s, PLZ Swidnik issued an offer for the upgrade of 12 Sokols previously operated by the Polish Air Force in the training role, converting them to perform the search and rescue mission instead; amongst the changes involved was the installation of
Rockwell Collins-built ARC-210
transceivers and the adoption of new
night-vision goggles (NVG)-compatible cockpits.[8] In 2006, this offer was met with a corresponding contract, which would ultimately led to the production of an improved model of the rotorcraft, designated as the W-3PL Gluszec; in addition to the above improvements, a new flight control system and upgraded powerplants featuring
full authority digital engine control (FADEC) software, were adopted, along with various changes to the communication, navigation and self-protection systems. The variant, which had been developed partially based upon combat experience gained in
Iraq, attracted the attention of the Polish land forces, leading to discussions on modernising additional W-3 helicopters to the Gluszec standard.[9] By January 2012, a follow-up order for another four Sokols re-built to the W-3PL configuration had been issued.[10]
During the mid-2000s, it was reported that, as part of a wider proposed industrial partnership between PLZ Swidnik and
Indonesian aircraft company
Indonesian Aerospace (IAe), discussions on the potential
outsourcing of manufacturing work on the Sokol helicopter, focused on the airframe and some of the subassemblies, were held; it was also stated that a wider licensing agreement in respect to the Sokol had already been ruled out as IAe were not prepared to accept responsibility for marketing and sales for the helicopter.[11]
Following Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer
AgustaWestland's acquisition of PZL Swidnik, the W-3 Sokol was incorporated into the new parent company's product line and has continued to be marketed and sold.[12]
Design
The PZL W-3 Sokół is a medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose rotorcraft. The helicopter employs a relatively conventional design and construction. It is powered by a pair of
Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów-built
PZL-10Bturboshaft engines; the original powerplant, the PZL-10W, was based on the earlier PZL-10S – a
licensed derivative of the Russian-designed
Glushenkov TVD-10B
turboprop engines which had powered the Polish-built
Antonov An-28.
Composites are used in the construction of the three-bladed tail and four-bladed main
rotors.[citation needed]
The first civilian export customer for the W-3A variant of the type was Germany's
Federal Police in
Saxony.[13]
During 1995, South Korean operator
Citiair issued a firm order for the purchase of three transport-orientated W-3A Sokół helicopters.[13] Citiair chose fit various additional equipment on the type, including floats, as two of them were to routinely travel to the island of
Ulleungdo, roughly 180 km (110 miles) from the Korean mainland, while the third was to be operated in the nation's more mountainous regions. During the same year, Polish oil company
Petrobaltic ordered a single W-3RM Anaconda maritime helicopter, while primarily designed for
search and rescue (SAR) duties, it was used by the company for transporting personnel, supplies and equipment to its
Balticoil drilling platforms.[13]
The Polish military has been a key customer for the Sokol. During the mid-1990s, a 15-year modernisation plan called for the procurement of 90 transport-orientated Sokols, along with 100 Huzarbattlefield helicopter (a later-cancelled derivative of the Sokol).[14] During the mid-1990s, During early 1996, Poland exchanged a batch of 11 W-3 Sokółs with the neighbouring
Czech Republic in exchange for 10
Mikoyan MiG-29.[14] Maritime-orientated W-3RM Anaconda maritime helicopters were adopted by the Polish naval service, who used the type to perform the SAR role.[13][15]
Since 2003, a batch of four W-3WA helicopters were used by the Independent Air Attack Group (
Polish: Samodzielna Grupa Powietrzno-Szturmowa) of the Polish forces in
Iraq in support of coalition operations in the region as a part of Poland's contribution to the
Iraq War. In total, eight Polish helicopters were deployed to the region until 2008. during summer 2004, the type participated in the distribution of
propaganda leaflets as part of wider efforts to undermine support for
Iraqi ShiaclericMuqtada al-Sadr.[16] On 15 December 2004, one Sokol was lost due to an accidental crash-landing near
Karbala, killing three personnel onboard and injuring three more.[17] On 18 July, 2006 another helicopter crashed at an air base in
Al Diwaniyah, injuring 4 crew and 3 passengers.[18]
Since January 2012, a force of five W-3 Sokol helicopters, along with six Mil Mi-8, have been furnished with a
VIP configuration and stationed at Poland's 1st Air Transport Base following a major reshuffle of assets.[19]
Armed version, with twin 23 mm
GSz-23Ł cannon and four pylons for weapons used by
Polish Land Forces. W-3WA is a variant with FAR-29 certificate. 34 built.[21]
W-3AE Sokół
Medical evacuation version used by
Polish Land Forces (AE for "Aero Ewakuacja"). Three W-3WA upgraded.[25]
Modernised search and rescue helicopter for Polish Navy, with upgraded and standardised equipment. Eight helicopters (two W-3 and six W-3RM) upgraded, re-entering service from 2017 to 2020.[27]
W-3PSOT / W-3PPD Gipsówka
"Gipsówka" (en: "
Gypsophila") W-3PPD was a flying command centre variant (PPD stands for "Powietrzny Punkt Dowodzenia" – "Airborne Command Post"). In 2006 this variant received new digital battlefield (after modernization helicopter is able to guide artillery equipped with Topaz fire control system) and observation systems and was adopted by
Polish Land Forces Aviation under new name W-3PSOT (PSOT stands for "Powietrzne Stanowisko Obserwacji Terenu" – "Airborne Observation Post"). This variant is equipped with pylons for weapons (same like in W-3W) but has no 23 mm fixed cannon. One built.
W-3RR Procjon
"Procjon" (en: "
Procyon") is a radioelectronic reconnaissance version (RR stands for "Rozpoznanie Radioelektroniczne" – "Radioelectronic Reconnaissance"). Three built.[21]
W-3PL Głuszec
"Głuszec" (en: "
Capercaillie") is a PZL W-3WA upgrade program to bring armed variant of Sokół up to 21st century standards by including advanced avionic systems (in Glass cockpit configuration) and other changes like
FADEC-equipped engines. Avionics include two 10″ MFD displays, single tactical display (maps and Elbit Toplite
FLIR),
INS/
GPS,
TACAN,
VOR/
ILS,
DME navigation,
HUD,
IFF, PNL-3
night vision goggles,
HOCAS (Hands on Collective and Stick) control, infrared and
radar warning receiver,
MIL-STD-1553B data link.[28] Twin 23 mm cannon was replaced by single pilot's controlled 12,7 mm WKM-Bz machine gun with 350 rounds. Designed for Combat Search and Rescue duties.[29] The first prototype (s/n: 360901) was tested by the Land Forces aviation in 2009. Eight W-3WA are to be upgraded.[21][30]
Prototypes and proposals
Prototypes and proposals that were not adopted by armed forces.[20]
W-3B Jastrząb
Proposed armed version with tandem-seat cabin and guided AT rockets.
W-3K/W-3WB Huzar
Proposed armed version with guided
ZT3 Ingwe ATGM, FLIR and 20 mm GA-1 cannon with helmet-mounted sight. Modification by Kentron (
Denel) company in 1993 tested in
South Africa. Some elements like hardpoint were used in serial W-3W/W-3WA variant. One built.
W-3L Sokół Long
Proposed stretched version seating up to 14 passengers, mockup only.
W-3MS/W-3WS Sokół
Proposed gunship version.
W-3U Salamandra
Armed version, with avionics and armament from
Mi-24W. Only one built, later converted into transport variant and sold to
Myanmar.
W-3U-1 Aligator
Proposed anti-submarine version.
W-3PL/N
Proposed
navalised version of W-3PL with folding rotor, radar, dipping sonar, air-to-surface missiles and torpedoes.[31]
^Lorencowicz, Wojciech. Pierwszy śmigłowiec Sokół w Ameryce Południowej (First Sokół helicopter in South America) in: Lotnictwo 2-3/2011, p. 30-32. (in Polish)