PCO SA Poland, RAFAEL Sign MOU on Electro-optical System for Mi-24 Helicopter

PCO S.A. of Poland and RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems of Israel have signed a Memorandum Of Understandings (Mou) for co-production of TOPLITE electro-optical systems (EOS) in Poland.

The main purpose of this cooperation is the modernization of Polish Mi-24 helicopters.

The two companies have been cooperating since 2007 for supply of optoelectronic heads for Poland's Głuszec helicopters, a Rafael press  release said.

Under the MOU, PCO S.A. will be the only supplier of TOPLITE systems for recipients from Poland. Under this agreement, PCO S.A. will become part of the supplier chain under other RAFAEL programs.

Toplite is an integral part of Rafael's air defence systems and naval systems, and is fully integrated with SPIKE missile family on Helicopters and other platforms.

Poland has announced plans to modernize its fleet of Mil Mi-24 “Hind” attack helicopters. The Polish Land Forces’ current inventory consists of a mix of Mi-24s procured from the former Soviet Union beginning in 1979. In addition it acquired Mi-24s from former East German stocks and sold to Poland in 1995 by Germany at the symbolic cost of a single deutschmark.

Since that time, Poland has mothballed around a third of its Mi-24 fleet with the intention of procuring a new fleet of 32 attack helicopters under the Kruk (Raven) program. The Boeing AH-64 Apache and Bell AH-1Z Viper are the likely candidates.

In the interim, Poland has sought bids to modernize the Mi-24 fleet in order to retain the helicopters in service through at least 2022-25. The modernization is aimed  at improving the weaponry and targeting on the Mi-24s.