Poland Mi-24D

7/23/2019 Poland Mi-24D

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DEPLOYMENTS TO Iraq and Afghanistanhoned the Polish Army Aviation's capability in

asymmetrical warfare under challenging climaticconditions against a skilled, well-concealed andfluid enemy. Air operations in both wartheatres called for previously unheard offlexibility and rapid response, with aircrewtraining standards rising to ensure battlefieldeffectiveness and flight safety were maintained.

This was especially true for the PAA’s attackbranch, comprising three squadrons of MilMi-24 Hind helicopters. The more numerousMi-24D Hind-D was the workhorse of Polisharmed escort and close air support in Iraqbetween 2005 and 2007. However, themore modern and slightly upgraded Mi-24WHind-E (designated Mi-24V in Poland)bore the brunt of the intense combat inAfghanistan between 2008 and 2013.All the combat-qualified Hind-D/E pilots gained

invaluable operational experience, becomingexpert in counter insurgencythrough

Alexander Mladenov reports on Poland’s

Mi-24 Hind force and its combat exploits in Afghanistan.

GET HOT

& HEAVY Main image: A Polish Mi-24V and its crew at GhazniForward Operating Base, Afghanistan. The Hind-E isarmed with two UPK-23-250 gun pods, each with atwin-barrel GSh-23L 23mm cannon. The cannons areused for attacking small targets at longer distancesthat the nose-mounted YakB-12.7mm four-barrelmachine-gun cannot reach. Maciej Wrega via author

POLISH AF MI-24 HIND FORCE

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the type’s six rotations in Iraq and 11 inAfghanistan. The force now waits impatientlyfor the outcome of the Polish defence ministry’sKruk (Raven) attack helicopter programme.Aiming to fully replace the worn out Mi-24D/Wfleet, it was given the go-ahead in 2014 andaccelerated in April 2015 as a direct resultof the events in and around Ukraine.The winning proposal will come from the four

principal bidders – Airbus Tiger, TAI T129, BellAH-1Z Cobra and AH-64E Apache Guardian.Selection of the winner in the head-to-headcompetition is expected in 2016, with a contractcovering procurement of32 helicopters slated tobe signed by 2017 andfirst deliveries in 2019 or2020 at the latest.

Organisational restructuresIn the meantime, the Hind-D/E remains Poland’s most capablecombat helicopter, although the29-strong fleet of aged helicoptersis equipped only with basic target-ing equipment and has limitedcompatibility with guided weapons– especially the Hind-D. The Hind

is tentatively set to continue inservice until 2020 or even 2022.Two of Hind squadrons are assigned to

the 56th Baza Lotnicza (Aviation Base (AB)),formerly known as the 56th ‘Kujawski’ PułkSmigłowców Bojowych (Attack HelicopterRegiment), stationed at Inowrocław-

L a t k o w o i n central Poland.

The third squadron is assigned to the49th AB, formerly the 49th Helicopter

Attack Regiment (HAR), at PruszczGdanski in the north. Since January

2014 both bases, together withthe Army's remaining pair of units,formerly known as component airdivisions in the 25th Air CavalryBrigade (at Tomaszów Mazowiecki/

Nowy Glinnik and Leznica-Wielka/Łeczyca), have been incorporated

into the Polish Air Force structure.As Col Grzegorz Matejuk, Deputy CO of the

56th AB told AFM, the reform has led to animproved situation where a single commander(PAF's commander-in-chief) is responsiblefor all military aviation assets. “At the sametime, our job remains the same – to supportthe land forces,” added Col Matejuk.

“All the combat-qualifiedHind-D/E pilots gainedinvaluable operationalexperience, becomingexpert in counterinsurgency through thetype’s six rotations in Iraqand 11 in Afghanistan.”


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Hot ToursWith one tour in Iraq and three in Afghanistanunder his belt, totalling 800 combat hours, ColMatejuk said that provided an extremely difficultenvironment for the Hind. Crews struggledin the prevailing hot-and-high conditions andmountainous terrain, and regularly flew at night,employing rockets and guns. By contrast, in Iraqthe Hind-Ds were limited to daylight operations

and flew mainly over flat terrain at low levels.The Army Hind aircrews climbed an extremely

steep learning curve in Afghanistan, masteringa plethora of new combat skills that will proveuseful as new-generation attack helicopterswith greater hot-and-high performance,sophisticated day/night targeting suites andlonger-ranged guided missiles are introduced.The Poles initially deployed to Bagram Airfield

as the Polish Army's Independent Air AssaultGroup (IAAG), in August 2008, equipped withfour Mi-17-1Vs and four Mi-24Ws. FromBagram the IAAG flew in close co-operation withUS Army units operating UH-60 Black Hawksand AH-64D Apaches. In January 2009 the

IAAG moved to Forward Operating Base (FOB)Ghazni alongside the Polish Task Force HQ, con-tinuing in the air support role for four years. TheIAAG rotated its Hind and Hip crews every sixmonths, with personnel sourced from the 49thand 56th HARs alternating on the deployments.Ghazni’s elevation at 7,216ft (2,200m) above

sea level constrained the Hind-E s to rollingtake-offs and landings from the base’s newlybuilt asphalt runway, which is 1,328ft (405m)long and 82ft (25m) wide. Even then, crews

Below: First Lt Maciej ‘Nemo’ Wrega in his office: an Mi-24V front cockpit. His combat kit includes: abaseball hat, a protection helmet, sunglasses and an armoured vest with integrated survival kit and personalweapons. Maciej Wrega via author

Bottom: New Hind WSOs usually join the Mi-24 squadrons as pilots having trained on the PZL Swidnik Mi-2sfor two or three years. The officer training course at the Deblin Air Force Academy includes 200 hours flying light helicopters. All images by author unless stated

‘ Crews struggled in the prevailing hot-and-high conditions and mountainous terrain,and regularly flew at night, employingrockets and guns.’



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Poland’sHindUpgradeA comprehensive upgrade of the Mi-24s’ mission

avionics and weapons for day and night operations

had been planned in the early 2000s, but in June

2003 Poland dropped its requirement to upgrade

as many as 40 Hind-D/Es, opting instead for a

programme to cover its 16 Mi-24Ws. Thirteen were

scheduled to receive NATO-interoperable avionics

suites and new guided weapons, while three more

were to be upgraded as combat search and rescue

(CSAR) platforms. The upgraded Mi-24Ws wereintended for service until 2015, while the older

Mi-24Ds were running out of airframe life and thus

set for retirement in the 2005-06 timeframe. In

the event, the Polish defence ministry decided to

shelve the ambitious and rather expensive upgrade

programme as it failed to reach agreement with its

Russian partners – arms export agency Rosoboro-

nexport and Mil MHP, the Mi-24 original equip-

ment manufacturer (OEM). The Russians had

also insisted they retain control over the upgrade

process and integration of NATO-standard avionics.

A less ambitious upgrade package was then

conceived for the Mi-24W, implemented locally

and delivering limited NATO interoperability.

Completed just prior to the Hind-E’s deployment

to Afghanistan, the upgrade comprised new com-

munication, navigation and identification friend-or-

foe (CNI) equipment, NVG-compatible internal and

external lighting for use with indigenous PNL-3

NVG sets and a modern infrared (IR) jammer. A

number of Mi-24Ds was later upgraded to thesame standard, albeit without the jammer.

The Warsaw Air Force Institute of Technology inte-

grated the new CNI package for production instal-

lation at state-owned Military Aviation Works No. 1

(WZL-1) at Łód´z. In addition, WZL-1 overhauled

the airframes, increasing airframe life.

The new communication equipment included the

ZSŁ-1 integrated communication system of Radmor

RRC-9500 VHF radio, Harris RF-5800H-MP-036

HF, Rohde & Schwarz MR-6000R-XM6013P UHF/

VHF, Unimor RS-6106 VHF and RS06113-2 UHF/

VHF radios. Navigation systems included the

Garmin 155XL GPS, BendixKing KTU-709 TACAN

and BendixKing KNR-634A VOR/ILS/MB (VHF

omni-range/instrument landing system/marker

beacon) receivers, and power cables plus docking

station for a Garmin 296 GPS receiver in the front

cockpit. Other new equipment included a Radwar

SC10-D2 IFF transponder and S-2-3a quick-access

flight data recorder, while the Hind-E received the

new-generation Ukrainian KT-01AW Adros continu-ously operating ‘disco-light’ IR jammer. Intended

to defeat a wide variety of heat-seeking MANPADS,

Adros is installed on the upper rear fuselage, replac-

ing the original L-166 jammer.

An effort to equip the Mi-24Ws with a modern

self-protection suite to complement the KT-01AW

jammer and ASO-2V chaff/flare dispensers proved

fruitless, however, despite the considerable time

and money spent on it. In 2010, the Danish com-

pany Terma was selected as preferred bidder in a

tender to supply integrated self-defence systems

to counter MANPADSs.

The requirement called for a system capable of

detecting as many as eight incoming missiles (at

ranges of between 500 and 4,000m) and auto-

matically issuing commands to release decoy flares.Growth capacity to add laser and radar warning sen-

sors was specified. Terma offered a derivative of its

proven, pod-mounted Modular Aircraft Survivability

Equipment system and a Zloty 99.8 million (just over

US$30 million) contract was signed in August 2010.

It covered supply and integration of 22 sets of aircraft

equipment (seven for the Mi-17 and 15 for the Mi-

24W), plus 12 pods with missile approach warning

sensors and countermeasures dispensers that could

easily be moved from one aircraft to another.

The Mi-24W would be modified to carry the pods

on its wing tip vertical endplates, the starboard

pod containing three AN/ANR-60 Missile Launch

Detection System sensors and the port unit two.

The pods also housed 30-round AN/ALE-47 flare

dispensers. Flight tests began in Poland in July2011, but the contract was ultimately terminated

by mutual consent over an unresolved dispute

concerning the interpretation of the contractual

requirement on false alarms.

used a technique to ensure safe lift-off in criticalconditions. It required them to accelerate downthe runway on the nosewheel, maintaining a 10°to 12° nose-down pitch angle for the entire run.As speed increased the main rotor and shortstub-wings generated additional lift, enablingthe strugglingHind-E to lift at the runway end,at a speed of 54 to 81kts (100 to 150km/h).“We’ve mastered this rather complex take-off

technique and introduced the relevant amend-ments into our training manuals,” Col Matejuknoted. On the hottest summer days at Ghazni,the Hinds were made lighter to ensure safetake-off conditions, reducing fuel so that onlyone hour and 30 minutes of flying was possible.

The ChallengesEarly Afghanistan sorties were flown withEkranno-Vyhlopnoye Ustroistvo (EVU) exhaustmixers installed to reduce thermal signatureand therefore the helicopters’ vulnerabilityto heat-seeking man-portable air defencesystems (MANPADS). The EVU devices addedweight and reduced engine power however,

and as the MANPADS threat reduced theywere removed, reducing the Hind’s difficultieson hot days. The helicopters also carriedless than half their maximum warload, with

Above: The rear cockpit of an Mi-24D upgraded with a communication suite, navigation and identificationequipment all to NATO standard. After the modifications, the cockpit interior was painted black and thelighting adjusted for NVG compatibility.

Above: The Hind-E is armed with two UB-32 rocket packs for firing 32 S-5-series of 57mm rockets that areused as an area saturation weapon. The machine gun barrels are sealed with tape when the aircraft is onthe ground to prevent sand and dust causing a stoppage. Maciej Wrega via Alexander Mladenov



7/23/2019 Poland Mi-24D


rocket or gun pods on the inner wing pylonsand empty outer positions. As a furtherweight-saving measure, the wing tip anti-tankguided-missile launchers were removed.With a strength of between four and six

helicopters at any time, the IAAG’s Hind-E force maintained quick reaction force(QRF) duty at two locations – primarily FOBGhazni, but occasionally at FOB Warrior.

Hinds were stationed at Warrior only duringperiods of increased insurgent activity.

Fighting the FoeThe QRF duty was divided into day andnight periods, aircrew standing 12-hourshifts, ready for take-off on receiving theorder from the base’s Tactical OperationsCentre (TOC), itself having received a callfrom the Polish Task Force’s TOC. The QRFassets were required to be ready for take-offwithin 20 minutes of receiving a go order.The QRF Mi-24s were mainly called to sup-

port ground forces in contact with the enemy(usually road patrols engaged in fire fights

with Taliban groups), but sometimes to escorttroop-carrying Mi-17-1Vs despatchedto intervene in a ‘hot’ situation. TheHinds also scrambled in reaction toTaliban rocket attacks on their base.In addition, at the beginning of every

night QRF period, each duty crew flewtwo circuits around the base, practis-ing take-off and landing skills usingnight-vision goggles (NVGs). In eachcase the first take-off and landing wereperformed by the crew commander(the primary pilot, in the rear seat), thesecond by the weapon systems operator (WSO).These circuits, usually extending out severalmiles, also enabled a visual reconnaissancefor suspicious activity in the immediate vicin-ity. Outside QRF, the Hinds flew pre-plannedmissions (also known as scheduled operations)supporting routine Mi-17 transport sorties.The IAAG Mi-24Ws fired weapons on numer-

ous occasions, working with Polish groundpatrols and special operations forces (SOF).Their primary tactic was close combat attack(CCA), pairs of Hind-Es employing differentarmament to mount strafing passes againsttroops and light vehicles. One of the pair wasarmed with two 32-round UB-32 pods of

57mm S-5 rockets, the other with two UPK-23-250 gun pods, each containing a twin-barrel23mm GSh-23L cannon with 250 rounds, deliv-ered at a maximum 3,000 rounds per minute.The crew commander generally fired the

rockets and gun pods, using the ASP-17Velectro-optical automatic reflector sight. TheMi-24W also features a flexible, nose-mounted12.7mm YaKB-12.7 four-barrelled gunwith a 4,000 to 5,000rpm rate of fire and

600-round ammunition load, operated bythe WSO. Every Hind mission in Afghanistanwas flown with two side gunners in the cabin(the flight engineer was always one of them)for self-protection. Each gunner operated apintle-mounted 7.62mm PK machine gun.Sometimes a fast low pass or a few warning

shoots where sufficient to discourage the enemy,but Col Matejuk noted that in most situationsa CCA was required. These missions were

“We’ve mastered this rather complex take-offtechnique and introduced the relevant amendmentsinto our training manuals,”

A trio of Mi-24Ds from the 56th AB on a mountain flying training deployment. They are operating from a small aero club airfield at Nowi Targ in southern Poland.



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Hind StatusPolish Army Aviation took 16 Mi-24Ds on strength

between 1978 and 1985. In 1996 it received 18

more as a donation from Germany. The former

East German Air Force had flown these Hind-Ds

and the Polish defence ministry eventually decided

to overhaul and reintroduce 16 into service, using

two as spare parts donors. The fleet of 16 Mi-24WHind-E helicopters arrived between 1986 and

1991. In the early 2000s, the two Hind-D squad-

rons were assigned to the 49th Attack Helicopter

Regiment, stationed at Pruszcz Gda´nski. The

Mi-24Ws were with one squadron assigned to the

56th Combat Helicopter Regiment at Inowrocław-

Latkowo. Today, the aged Hind fleet, comprising

15 Mi-24Ws and 14 Mi-24Ds, equips two squad-

rons assigned to the 56th AB and a one with the

49th AB. Equipped with a mix of Hind variants,

one of the 56th AB’s squadrons operates in the

attack role, while the second also flies four newly

delivered PZL ´Swidnik W-3PL Głuszec armed heli-

copters (four more are expected in the foreseeable

future) and is assigned the CSAR role.

Two Mi-24Ds were lost in Iraq, while two more

sustained serious damage but were repaired. A

pair of Mi-24Ws was reported damaged beyond

repair in take-off accidents in Afghanistan and at

least one was heavily damaged in an emergency

landing following mechanical failure, but was

repaired. The Mi-24D is earmarked for withdrawal

from service upon expiration of its extended ser-

vice life between 2016 and 2019. The Mi-24Ws

are set to serve a little longer, until around 2020 or

even 2022, when the new-generation Kruk attack

helicopter should be fully inducted into Polish

service.

performed in constant radio contact with theground commander in need of the air support.No FACs or JTACs were involved in a CCA; witha FAC or JTAC on-scene the mission becameclose air support. The ground commanderprovided the exact enemy location, leaving theMi-24s to find it and mount their firing passes.The S-5 rocket, a 1950s’-vintage weapon,

lacks accuracy and proved far from perfectfor this type of engagement. Its warhead hasinsufficient destructive power against buildingsand it was effective only against personnelin the open. The 57mm rockets struggledto penetrate the thick walls of typical Afghancompounds and houses, and sometimestasks had to be passed to crews in PolishRosomak vehicles armed with 30mm cannon.Col Matejuk recalled flying in Afghanistan

was difficult even for experienced Hind drivers,with no margin for error, especially on take-offon hot days at Ghazni. Flying on NVGs wasanother serious challenge. Aircrew had trainedwith them for the first time in 2007 duringpreparations for the Afghanistan commitment.Daily scheduled Mi-24W missions included

escorting Mi-17-1Vs flying routine transportsorties between FOB Ghazni and BagramAirfield (where personnel and cargo arrivedfrom Poland), to and from the US base atSharana, and on resupply missions to thePolish Task Force’s Vulcan and Waghez FOBs.Usually flown by a pair of Mi-17-1Vs, at leastone Mi-24W always provided escort on thesetrips. From time to time the IAAGHind-Es werealso involved in other pre-planned missions,including visual reconnaissance over projectedland patrol routes or supporting SOF, as well asparticipating in occasional large-scale Interna-tional Security Assistance Force manoeuvres.

Hind WSO recallsNew Hind WSOs usually join the force after twoto three years’ training on the Mi-2-equippedsquadrons, amassing 200 to 300 flight hoursafter graduating from the Polish Air ForceAcademy at D eblin. They fly from theHind’s front cockpit as WSOs for three to five years,before becoming crew commanders, flyingfrom the rear cockpit, since both are pilotpositions. Rookie WSOs generally achievefull qualification after around six months ofstringent training, including NVG operations.Hind WSOs and young crew commanders cur-rently amass about 150 flying hours annually.The WSO is responsible for navigation, as well

as firing the ATGMs and nose-mounted gun.

Polish WSOs use their own, privately ownedGPS receivers, loaded with databases of pointsof interest, as their primary en-route navigationaid. The Mi-24’s antiquated paper map-basedmoving map system was replaced by an inte-grated communications LCD panel during anupgrade with NATO-standard navigation aids.AHind WSO with the 56th AB’s 1st Attack

Squadron, 1st Lt Maciej ‘Nemo’ Wrega, saidthe Mi-24 WSO has an instrumental role incombat missions, since he is tasked withmaintaining situational awareness while thecrew commander concentrates on flying thehelicopter. Nemo has considerable combatexperience. He said: “Since I was single, I couldbe posted to Afghanistan more often than mymarried colleagues. As a result I was on a rota-tion there every six months and completed five

tours – the average in my unit is three. I havebetween 800 and 900 combat flying hours.“Year after year Ghazni became my second

home. I had my locker with my personalbelongings at the base and when I returnedto Poland I travelled with a light backpackbecause all my personal survival equipment,electronics, knives and so on remained atGhazni. The last rotation was business asusual, but with my girlfriend pregnant I felt Iwas in the wrong place, just like my marriedcolleagues with families back in Poland.”He noted that the WSO’s role proved

especially important in Afghanistan, wherefront seaters remained completely aware ofrapidly changing situations on the ground,maintaining an in-depth knowledge offriendly forces and enemy positions, and theirmovements. The WSO also handles tacticalcommunications with ground forces and uponreceiving a request for fire support, selects the

Left: Polish Mi-24 Hind-Ds will be gradually withdrawn from the front line when their flying hours arereached. This is expected to take place between 2016 and 2019.Below: Polish WSOs stay in the Mi-24’s front cockpit for three to five years before progressing to the rear aspilots (also referred to as Hind crew commanders). They occupy the rear cockpit for the rest of their flyingcareer. Those who obtain an instructor’s qualification return to the front cockpit to train young crew commanders and perform the squadron’s proficiency checks.

Above: First Lt Maciej Wrega poses in front of an Mi- 17-1V prior to a mission over Afghanistan. Maciej

Wrega via author



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most suitable attack direction. Finally, WSOsoccasionally fly the helicopter, relieving crewcommanders during high-workload missions.This was the case, for instance, on some noc-

turnal missions in Afghanistan, when crew com-manders flying two consecutive combat sortiessuccumbed to back pain caused by wearingNVGs for extended periods. As a consequence,the WSO would fly if a third sortie were required,

the crew commander taking over navigationand tactical communication functions.

Self-protectionNemo said the most important items of aircrewsurvival kit were carried in the crewmember’stactical vest, worn over an armoured vest,while less important pieces were in a largebackpack (stored in the cockpit or moreoften in the cargo compartment). Mi-24crews carried 9mm pistols, each with twomagazines, initially augmenting their personalarmament with 9mm sub-machine guns,although more powerful Mini-Beryl or Beryl5.56mm assault rifles, each with four maga-

zines, were issued on later rotations. Nemopreferred to carry his weapon on his chest.Night operations were flown in conditions of

more than 25% full moon, light levels below this,the so-called Red condition, precluded effectiveNVG use. As a rule, NVGs need residual light(from the moon and/or cultural lighting), since

they intensify light to function. In Afghanistan,where cultural lighting was at a minimum, therewas insufficient light at less than 25% full moon,or on nights with thick cloud cover. Exceptionsto the ‘Red rule’ were made, for instance incases calling for emergency medical evacuation

of badly wounded soldiers, where the Hind crew commander taking the final decision onwhether to take off on such high-risk missions.A Garmin 296 portable GPS receiver with

colour screen displaying a terrain map wasavailable in the WSO’s cockpit, displaying thehelicopter’s route and pilot-selected points of

interest. Nonetheless, Nemo said he preferredto use his own Garmin Aera 500 tablet, featuringa 4.3in touch-screen and built-in GPS receiver.He also carried another tablet computer, typi-

cally a Samsung Galaxy Tab (Android-based),using the free SkyDemon app to help navigateand easily select and store points of interest.The screen presents a moving map with excel-lent clarity, including information such as way-

points, set before the mission or in flight, simplyby touching the map. Nemo said the touchscreen was particularly useful for entering theco-ordinates of enemy positions prior to attack.Typing freshly received coordinates into

the Garmin 296 took around a minute,but the job was done in just 15 secondson the tablet. With the enemy position onscreen, the WSO was immediately awareof the distance to target and could selectan appropriate attack profile and direction,enabling the Mi-24W to mount effective attackswithout the risk of hitting friendly forces.A typical attack called for the crew commander

to engage the target with UPK-23-250 gun

pods or 57mm rockets from longer range,before closing for the WSO to finish the job withthe 12.7mm machine gun. If less-destructivepower was required, only the machine gunwas fired. There were reliability issues,however, due to its rather complex designbeing prone to stoppages and, according to

Above: The YakB-12.7mm is a four-barrel Gatling- type machine gun. It is mounted in a USPU-24under-nose turret and has a 4,000rpm rate of firewith a maximum range of 2,600ft (800m).

The Hind-D/E has the distinction of being Poland’sonly true attack helicopter type. The 29-strong fleetis old and has only basic targeting equipment for day/night operations, whilethe Mi-24V is able to fire guidedweapons, such as the 9M120Shturm-V anti-tank missile.



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Nemo, the YakB-12.7 suffered a stoppageon an average of one in ten firing passes.The two side gunners rarely used their PK

machine guns, since they were intended onlyfor self-defence against pop-up threats. Onoccasion SOF snipers were also carried, usuallyduring assault missions mounted by PolishSOF detachments. Ground fire hit Polish heli-copters many times, the most severe incidentoccurring during the tenth rotation, when a12.7mm projectile hit a side gunner in the leg.

Fighting the TalibanNemo said his most intensive day of combatin Afghanistan involved the protectionof a large Polish convoy travelling a roadblighted with improvised explosive devicesand Taliban ambushes. The Hinds were calledupon many times to attack multiple enemy

positions, the QRF Mi-24s returning tobase three times to refuel and rearm.He explained: “We talked constantly with

the guys on the ground and they pointedout the buildings where the Taliban had setup fire positions. We spoke in Polish sinceit was much easier for us and we gained apretty good understanding of the situation,with a clear idea of attack directions and targetbuildings. We shot at the rooftops, since they’reusually a very soft part of the structure.”Among the routine pre-planned Hind mis-

sions flown in Afghanistan, Nemo recalled thedestruction of numerous Taliban radio relaystations (repeaters) set up on hilltops to enableline-of-sight VHF/UHF radio communicationbetween valleys. The repeaters were identifiedon photographs taken by intelligence officersand the Mi-24Ws sent to eliminate them. TheS-5 rocket was the primary weapon employed,its fragments effectively destroying the solar

panel providing power to each repeater.Afghanistan’s high operating altitudes

changed the flight behaviour of a heavyweightHind dramatically, leaving the aircraft notablysluggish and slow. Nemo said it also causedhigher vibration levels and lowered thehelicopter’s speed well below its sea levelmaximum of 165kts (305km/h). Maximumindicated air speed in Afghanistan wasbetween 129 and 134kts (240 and 248km/h),depending on individual Hinds, since poweroutput varied with engine condition. Even without EVU exhaust mixers the Mi-24

was distinctly underpowered on take-offat Ghazni, especially on hot summer days.Turbine entry temperature on take-off islimited to 990°C (1,814°F), above which theengines were unable to deliver more power.“We’ve incorporated the lessons learned in

Afghanistan into our regular training,” Nemoreported. “For instance, we now fly emergencysituation training drills four times a year, includ-ing as many as 15 circuits, grouped into threecheck sorties. Five of the circuits compriseAfghanistan-style nose-down rolling take-offson the front undercarriage leg, five are rollinglandings with both engines operational and thefinal five rolling landings in one engine inopera-tive conditions (one of the engines is switchedoff before landing), touching down at 32kts.“We’ve also introduced serious changes to

our tactical training, with much more targetdesignation time at the firing range, workingwith a JTAC. Now we ask the JTAC to pointout unusual and challenging features as partof the targeting instruction, helping us locatehard-to-find targets. We better understandground threats too, acknowledging that weneed to vary our profiles, rather thanalways flying low or always high.”

SPRP Helicopter Order of Battle,July 2015*

Unit Types

56.Baza Lotnicza Inowrocław-Latkowo

One attack sqn Mi-24D/W

One CSAR sqn Mi-24D/W & W-3PL

Two attackreconn sqns

Mi-24D/W, W-3PL & Mi-2/URN/URP/URP-G

49.Baza Lotnicza Pruszcz Gdanski

One attack sqn Mi-24D

Two reconnsqns

Mi-24D, Mi-2D/R/TSz/URN/URP/URP-G

66.Dywizjon Lotniczy Tomaszów Mazowiecki/Nowy Glinnik

Two assaulttransport sqns

W-3

One electronic

warfare sqn

W-3W/WA, W-3A PPD-2/SSR-10

& W-3RR S-1RR37.Dywizjon Lotniczy Leznica-Wielka

Two transport/assaulttransport sqns

Mi-8MTV-1/P/T & Mi-17-1V

33.Baza Lotnicza Powidz

7.EskadraDziałanSpecjalnych**

Mi-17 & Mi-17-1V

Notes: * Compiled using public informationon the re-formed Polish Army Aviation and AirForce rotary-wing units dedicated to land forcesand special operations support. No officialinformation has been released regarding orderof battle after the substantial reforms of 2014.** 7. Eskadra Działan Specjalnych (7th SpecialOperations Squadron) was originally includedwithin the Polish Air Force structure. Its fleetcomprises ten upgraded, up-armoured, armedMi-17 and Mi-17-1V helicopters.

‘He also carried anothertablet computer, typicallya Samsung Galaxy Tab(Android-based), using

the free SkyDemon appto help navigate andeasily select and storepoints of interest.’

Above: The Mi-24D introduced the definitive ‘gunship-style’ stepped tandem cockpits forward of the engineinlets, with the pilot at the rear and the WSO in the front. Bullet-proof windscreens are fitted to both cockpits. Polish Army Aviation originally received 16 Mi-24s between 1978 and 1985, but in 1996 18 formerEast German Mi-24Ds were donated from Germany.

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Poland Mi-24D