A NATO member U-turned on buying Black Hawks, suggesting Russia's war shows they aren't the best weapons to focus on

A PZL Mielec S-70i Black Hawk helicopter.POLAND - Tags: MILITARY TRANSPORTNATO member Poland has put on hold plans to buy 32 Black Hawk helicopters.It suggested that Russia's invasion of Ukraine shows they're not the right weapon to focus on.It's not abandoned helicopters, but they have proven vulnerable in Ukraine.NATO member Poland has postponed its purchase of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, with military officials there suggesting the way Russia is fighting in Ukraine shows they're not the right equipment for it to focus on.General Wieslaw Kukula, the Polish armed forces chief of staff, said at a Friday press conference that "we have decided to change the priorities of the helicopter programs" in order to "better adapt to the challenges of future warfare," Reuters reported.Poland's deputy defense minister, Pawel Bejda, said on X that his country's military, pilots, and experts were analyzing the geopolitical situation, as well as "the war in Ukraine" and what Russia is buying and equipping its military with.Poland shares a land border with Ukraine.Grzegorz Polak, a spokesman for Poland's Armament Agency, which buys equipment for its military, told Reuters that its priorities needed "some correction" and that it might be necessary to buy other equipment instead of the helicopters, "such as drones, or tanks, or some kind of communication."He also told Polish outlet Defence24 that the armed force's priorities have changed amid evolving threats.Poland, like other European countries, has warned that Russia could attack elsewhere on the continent.Its prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned in March that Russia's big military investments suggest it's readying for a conflict with someone bigger than Ukraine in the next three to four years.Poland is already the highest spender on defense in NATO, as a proportion of its GDP, and has been a major ally of Ukraine throughout the invasion.Helicopters over UkraineHelicopters have played a role in Russia's invasion, with both sides using them to counter drones, offer air support, and launch attacks.They were particularly effective for Ukraine against Russia's attempts to seize a key airfield shortly after the invasion began in February 2022, and for Russia during Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive.A Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopter launches missiles during a demonstration.Leonid Faerberg/Getty ImagesBut they have also proved vulnerable.The proliferation of air defenses has meant that they, like other aircraft, have had to hang back from frontline fighting more than in past conflicts, making them far less useful.Ukraine's success at taking down Russia's Ka-52 helicopters in 2023 meant Russia started using them less. Many were hit by US-provided M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS.Reports suggest that Russia lost more than 100 helicopters in the first two years of the war.Ukraine has also destroyed some Russian helicopters at bases far from the front lines.Even so, losses could have been higher. Mark Hertling, a former commander of United States Army Europe, told BI in January that Russia has been "very poor" in the way it used helicopters and other air assets, but also that Ukraine's air-defense shortages have protected them.Andrew Curtis, an independent defence and security researcher who spent 35 years as a UK Royal Air Force officer, told BI last year that one lesson Western countries could take from the war is "about the vulnerability of helicopters in the modern battlefield where hiding and seeking is not a child's game, it's a matter of life and death."A still from video footage shows a Russian helicopter before it appeared to be taken out.YouTube/Defence Intellegence of UkraineA helicopter strategyThe S-70i is a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk made by PZL Mielec, a Polish company owned by the US's Lockheed Martin.Poland's plan to buy them began in 2023, under a previous government. The aim was for the helicopters to be used for combat and logistics, and to work with AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters ordered from the US.Bejda, the deputy defense minister, said the latest move did not involve terminating a contract, as one was never signed.But it has still led to some domestic issues.Mariusz Blaszczak, Poland's former defense minister, described the decision as a disgrace in a post on X, saying it would lead to job losses, delays in replacing the country's helicopter fleet, and a loss of interoperability because Poland's military already uses some Black Hawks.A US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Cesar RivasThe postponement comes after Poland spent years investing in helicopter technology, including ordering 96 Apache Guardians in a deal signed last year, and 32 Leonardo AW149s in a deal signed in 2022.Bejda said Poland would still prioritize some helicopters, including training and combat helicopters, a heavy transport helicopter, and search and rescue helicopters.But the government, which took office at the end of 2023, clearly views increasing the fleet as less important than investing in other military assets.The war in Ukraine has led Western countries to boost their own defense spending and to change their priorities, including through buying more air defenses and drones, investing more in tanks, and even bringing back old types of training like trench warfare.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

Tensions in Seoul, Tokyo over Trump tariffs add urgency to upcoming G7 summit in Canada

washington times

I've lived in Boston for 18 years. I always recommend these 7 underrated activities and attractions to first-time visitors.

about 3 hours ago

25 of the most unique gardens around the world

insider

Comments

Business News

Tensions in Seoul, Tokyo over Trump tariffs add urgency to upcoming G7 summit in Canada

Santander closing 23 UK branches in June – full list

Whole Foods’ shelves could get bare as supplier shuts down deliveries after cyberattack

Spending review is ‘settled’, says Downing Street

Save time and money with five simple breakfast recipes you can make and freeze

Tesco shoppers reveal why they ALWAYS ask for receipts – and it’s not for pricing errors

Citi doubles down on WFH, offering two weeks of fully remote work in August. See the memo here.

Anthropic's Claude plays 'for peace over victory' in a game of Diplomacy against other AI

Meet Kai Trump, the president's granddaughter who calls him 'an inspiration'

Why Apple's stock suddenly dropped a few minutes into its WWDC keynote

Universal's new theme park is absolutely incredible &mdash; but it's also got some big flaws

Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds Is In The Videogame Business; First Release Packs New Original Music

It Is Past Time For The Red Sox To Call Up Top Prospect Roman Anthony

Merab Dvalishvili Vs. Cory Sandhagen Opening Betting Odds

Taylor Swift’s ‘Reputation’ Spikes Nearly 1,200% In Sales

Daycare 2.0 Could Be Quickest Fix For Flopping Phillies

Manchester City’s New Signings Mark New Era In Pep Guardiola’s Tenure

Spending review now settled, says Downing Street

'It will make a lot of difference': Reactions to winter fuel payment U-turn

Apple heads into annual showcase reeling from AI missteps, tech upheaval and Trump's trade war

Tough talk drags on in Cambodia-Thailand border standoff. But tensions appear to be easing

Getty Images and Stability AI face off in British copyright trial that will test AI industry

U.S. stocks drift and Chinese markets rise as trade talks start between world's largest economies

Nintendo's Switch 2 soups up the graphics, but does it deliver the games?

GOP appropriator announces opposition to cutting public broadcast funding ahead of House vote

Democrats are drawing closer to the crypto industry despite Trump divisions

Canned foods could rise by as much as 30 cents apiece due to Trump’s tariffs on steel: report

B&M shoppers rush to buy HUGE furniture scanning for just £1 instead of £80

Labour MPs in call for benefits U-turn after change to winter fuel payment cut

Labour MPs in call for benefits U-turn after change to winter fuel payment cut

I've lived in Boston for 18 years. I always recommend these 7 underrated activities and attractions to first-time visitors.

25 of the most unique gardens around the world

Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively has been dismissed

Small companies are swapping performance-based reviews with a less formal approach

Universities are tailoring supply chain courses to prepare students for the industry's AI revolution

5 WPP execs who insiders say could be top candidates to become the ad giant's next CEO

Warner Bros. Discovery to be split, as Zaslav retreats from grand ambitions

Brewers Have Withstood Brutal Start, Pitching Depth Has Them In NL Mix

Who Is Johnny Flynn, Cast As Lucius Malfoy In ‘Harry Potter’ Series?

The Psychology Of Influence And The Making Of A Thought Leader

Uranium Is Hot: How New Nuclear Policies Could Spark A Market Revival

Health Insurers Call Out Trump On Promise To Not Cut Seniors’ Medicare

Los Angeles Protests Live Updates: Trump Says Arresting Gavin Newsom Would Be ‘Great’

Boston Legacy FC Is In Its Trust-Building Era With New Logo, Identity

When Is ‘Love Island UK’ Season 12 Streaming On Hulu? Plus How To Watch Early

Baldoni Vs. Lively Feud: Judge Dismisses Baldoni’s $400 Million Defamation Lawsuit

HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Show Casts Draco Malfoy And 8 Other Characters

Steve Lauletta Details 23XI Racing’s Growth In 2025

Ex-Team USA Star Was Washout, Now Back On MLB Radar In South Korea

Cielo Launches One Of The Oldest Premium Tequilas Ever

Kol: A Unique Mexican Entry In London’s Michelin-Starred Scene

Cost of living roadshows to tour county

Senators Demand Government Watchdog Inquiries Into D.C. Plane Crash

Justin Baldoni’s Suits Against Blake Lively and The New York Times Dismissed by Judge

Bitcoin is introduced into Africa's largest slum, with risks and rewards

Dubai orders Mall of the Emirates owner to restructure its board

Republican senators to watch in the maneuvering over Trump's big bill

Trump to highlight $1,000 'Trump Accounts' for newborns

U.S. and China are holding trade talks in London after Trump's phone call with Xi

British government reverses policy that limited home heating subsidies for retirees

Universal's new theme park is absolutely incredible — but it's also got some big flaws