By Bartosz Glowacki in Kielce
Western manufacturers sign pre-production deals with national companies
Eurocopter and Sikorsky unveiled plans to make major investments in the Polish aviation industry during last week's International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce.
Poland's Bumar Capital Group signed an agreement with Eurocopter to jointly offer systems for all future helicopter competitions in the country. The first step in the co-operation deal will enable Bumar to begin manufacturing components for NH Industries' NH90 transport helicopter, in which Eurocopter holds a 62.5% interest.
It will also participate in future development programmes and benefit from offset business linked to possible Polish purchases of Eurocopter and EADS products.
Bumar currently does not possess any aerospace companies, but may in the near future assume leadership of PZL Mielec and PZL Swidnik facilities under a combined national defence aerospace holding. It could also place NH90 work with Poland's WZL-1 and WZL-2 military aviation plants were it to incorporate their activities. "The main task is acquiring new technologies which will enable Polish companies to join the best world aerospace companies," says Bumar president Roman Baczynski.
The company also signed a marketing, production and export agreement with Elbit Systems during the MSPO show, initially covering the manufacture of optical and measuring equipment for the Israeli firm's Skylark I/II and Hermes 450 unmanned air vehicles. The deal will enable Bumar to promote the Skylark I mini UAV to the Polish land forces.
Sikorsky, meanwhile, is focusing on PZL Mielec as a potential site for the manufacture of UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter fuselages and international Black Hawk airframes. The company needs to shift UH-60L production from its Stratford, Connecticut facility to meet domestic production demands, and European sales executive Bruce McKinney says: "Poland is on the top of our list."
Sikorsky says Polish production of the Black Hawk will not depend on the type's selection by the country, noting: "We want to make a business, not create offset or marketing programmes." The company also says it wants to participate in the global marketing and aftersales support of Mielec's M-28 Skytruck transport aircraft.
Negotiations with Mielec are expected to conclude in the next few weeks, with industry sources suggesting the pact could result in 1,000 new jobs at the company and its subcontractors, including the WZL-1 and WZL-2 plants. However, plans to work with PZL Swidnik could be frustrated by the Polish company's close ties with AgustaWestland.
Source: Flight International
