Helicopter - Polish refusal to go for the H225 makes sense - AIN

October 14, 2016

View in browser   •   Subscribe   •   Email Editor   •   AINonline.com

Airbus Helicopters Responds To Polish H225M Cancellation In an “open letter to the Polish Prime Minister,” Airbus Helicopters chief executive officer Guillaume Faury on October 11 provided a long account of the failed offset negotiations for 50 H225M Caracal medium multirole helicopters. The Polish government ended the year-long talks last week and held a press conference to explain the decision. The H225M had been selected in April 2015 to replace the Polish Army’s large fleet of Mil Mi-8/17s, in preference to the Leonardo AW149 or Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk. Poland said yesterday it would place a smaller order for the S-70i. Faury said that “Polish citizens and the Polish armed forces deserve full transparency on the tender process.” The CEO claimed that misleading allegations had been reported in the media, including that his company had negotiated in bad faith. “Airbus Helicopters was chosen as the sole offer fully compliant with the demanding Ministry of Defence requirements, including the transfer of high-level technology deemed essential to guarantee the essential security of interests in Poland,” he added. Read More