CASR
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In Detail |
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Canada in Afghanistan – NATO –
Medium-Lift Helicopter Assets – March 2008 Afghan Medium-Lift – Searching for Available NATO Mil Helicopters Assessing Mi-8s and Mi-17s in Polish and the Baltic States Service Stephen Priestley, Researcher, Canadian American Strategic Review (CASR) Love That LWL! Other Mil Medium-Lift Helicopters in Current Polish Military Service
[ Update 31 March 2008 – CP reports that four additional Polish Mi-17s may be available for Canadian Forces at Kandahar Airfield on “...a contribution basis”. This report has yet to be confirmed but a Canadian delegation is scheduled to visit Warsaw directly after Bucharest.] The Polish Mils on offer to Canada are late-model Mi-17s. [1] But Poland’s military has been operating the medium Mils for some years. Most are earlier Mi-8s dating back to the Warsaw Pact days. The Poles have 28 Mi-8Ts, 10 Mi-8Ps, 3 Mi-8RLs and 4 older Mi-17s in addition to newer Mi-17 V-1s. [2] Most of the Mi-8s are now rather elderly and the ’RLs are dedicated to search and rescue. Of most interest are two Mi-17AEs newly converted for the medevac role. 
The medevac Mi-17AEs accommodate seven stretcher cases and 3 medical personnel. Equipment includes medical
oxygen, air conditioning, new power supplies, and a winch with 300kg capacity. For protection, the Mi-17s can be
fitted with armour plate and defensive countermeasures. Like the newer Mi-17 V-1s, the
medevac Mi-17AEs will probably also be fitted with engine exhaust diffusers (either Russian Kazan ‘boxes’
or US ‘Film-Cooled Tailpipes’. Search lights and NVG are also used.
The Mi-17AEs were adapted for their new role by WZL-1, a military aviation maintenance depot in Łodź.
Both are now assigned to the dedicated medevac flight within 25 BKPow (25th Air Cavalry
Brigade). The reconfigured Mi-17AEs are to deploy as a part of PKW (Polski Kontyngent Wojskowy)
Afghanistan along with the four Mi-17 V-1s as well as four Mi-24W gunships. Most of this capability will
be needed by the PKW but medevac services will be available to all allies.There are other Polish Mils – the Polish Navy has 2 Mi-17s on loan from the LWL while the State Police (Policja Panstwowa) have one Mi-8S and a Mi-8T (from the Air Force). None of these will be available for deployment. Canada must look elsewhere for additional medium lift. Baltic NATO Members — Mi-8 Helicopters in Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian Service
Poland’s northern neighbours also operate Mil medium-lift helicopters. Finland is phasing out its aging Mi-8
fleets [3] but Lithuania has eight Hip Cs (Mi-8T/Mi-8MTVs). These Mils are operated by the
Lithuanian Air Force (Karines Oro Pajegos) in a helicopter flight (Sraigtasparniu Eskadrile)
based at Pajuostis. At least a part of Lithuania’s Mi-8T fleet is dedicated to SAR duties. This is a recuring
theme in the Baltic. Mi-8s in Latvian military service ( left ) are likewise dedicated to the SAR role. Latvia
operates four Mi-8 MTV-1s (Mi-17 V-1s) but they won’t deploy.
Estonia also has four Mi-8s in service. These aircraft (Mi-8T/ ’TBs) belong to the Estonian Border Guard
Aviation Group (or Piirivalve Lennusalk) and operate exclusively as SAR aircraft along the Baltic coastline.
So, we can safely eliminate the Baltic states as a potential source of Mi-8s on loan for use in Afghanistan.
After all, if Canada has been unwilling to redeploy its SAR helicopters to Afghanistan, we can hardly expect the
SAR fleets of smaller, less prosperous nations to be sacrificed thus.[1] The new Mi-17s would properly be W-1s, Polish having no letter V. The original Russian designation was Mi-17 V-1, Mi-17 (V-1) or Mi-17 1V – V standing for visotnyi or high altitude. [2] The designation suffix denotes the role. The Mi-8S and Mi-8P are both considered utility transports by the Poles (‘S’ is for Salonka or VIP, ‘P’ for Pasażerski or passenger ), the SAR Mi-8RL (Ratunkowy Ląduje) for overland rescue. The Mi-17AE is an Ambulance Ewakuacja. [3] NB: Finland is a member of ISAF but not a NATO member and is unlikely to become one. |
