Polish troops blow up their helicopter in Iraq

[tigershark]

Polish troops blow up their helicopter in Iraq
3rd October 2008
Commanders of Polish troops, which are pulling out of Iraq, asked combat engineers from Kazakhstan to destroy a Polish Mi-24D helicopter

The Polish regiment decided that it would be too expensive to transport the equipment back to Poland and they wanted to avoid the helicopter getting into the hands of militants, therefore decided to destroy it.


Mi-24D is a Soviet-era helicopter, now manufactured in Russia, one of 35 of such helicopters still among equipment of the Polish army. The helicopter launches missiles, which are capable of destroying tanks. This particular helicopter was operated by the 49th Combat Helicopter Regiment from Pruszcz Gdański and was one of six present in Iraqi Delta base in Al-Kut region.

It is a common practice to destroy military machinery that no longer can be used or its transportation would be too costly. The remaining helicopters will be either transported to Poland by sea or transferred to service in Afghanistan.


Source: TVN24

From Warsaw Business Journal by Marcin Poznań

Source
http://www.wbj.pl/article-42766-polish-troops-blow-up-their-helicopter-in-iraq.html?typ=wbj

[Webmaster]

It doesn't give the full story.

Originally, the plan had been to provide them to the Iraqi army. Apparently, the offer was refused. I am not sure whether they took on the Mi-17s or W-3s, I believe they were also on offer. I guess not (haven't heard anything since). So I guess they are taking the transport helicopters back to Poland, which are in high demand in NATO, together with the younger Mi-24V Hinds.

Only few Mi-24Ds remained in Poland last time I checked. The Mi-24Vs were planned to be upgraded under a joint European effort. But Mil didn't support it, so it was abandoned. Some other nations have since found other options with Mil or in case of Bulgaria IAI with Mil support, although the latter didn't go as planned either. The Czech bought new Mi-35Ps offsetting Russian debt with the country, swapping the -Vs and retiring the -Ds. I don't know the status of the Polish plans, but anyway this -D was scheduled for retirement anyway as it had been already decided to upgrade the -V Hinds only.

Anyone with more info, please post.