Airbus to Supply Helicopters to Poland’s HEMS Amid European Expansion Drive
With the aim of bolstering the country’s helicopter EMS (HEMS) capabilities, the Polish Ministry of Health is pursuing a project to buy five helicopters with an option to procure a sixth aircraft. Airbus Helicopters was the only bidder in the tender, offering its H145 helicopters for some PLN 450.5 million ($119 million), which matched the ministry’s disclosed budget for the acquisition.
The pitch was placed by the group’s German subsidiary, Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH. The aircraft is manufactured at its production facility in Donauwörth, in the country’s southern state of Bavaria. A contract to purchase the helicopters is expected to be signed shortly, enabling Airbus Helicopters to supply the aircraft by Dec. 15, 2028.
Under the plan, the new helicopters are to be operated by the Polish Medical Air Rescue (Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe). The service currently operates a fleet of 27 Airbus H135 helicopters in EC135 P2+ and H135 P3 variants. In addition to helicopters, the LPR also operates a fleet of three fixed-wing aircraft comprising two Bombardier Learjet 75 Liberty planes and one Piaggio P-180 Avanti aircraft, as indicated by data from the service.
In 2024, the LPR completed a major project to upgrade its HEMS capabilities, worth more than PLN 60 million and implemented with the financial support of the European Union.
Under the Expansion and reconstruction of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) base and LPR Technical Service Station (SOT), including the construction of a final approach and take-off (FATO) area for helicopters that the service completed in Poland’s capital Warsaw, a number of investments were carried out. Those investments included: the construction of a new HEMS base comprised of an operational and office building and a hangar fitted with a mobile landing platform for helicopters; the development of a two-bay Technical Service Station hangar with a technical warehouse; a paint shop for helicopters; a three-story office and storage building; and a helicopter FATO area with accompanying infrastructure, according to data from the LPR.
“The tasks of the Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe include flying to accidents and medical emergencies and assisting victims, transporting patients requiring medical care between healthcare facilities, providing air medical transport outside the country, and repatriating Polish citizens who have undergone accidents or medical emergencies abroad,” the service said in a statement.
The LPR operates some 22 HEMS bases across the country. These include locations in Poland’s largest cities, such as Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, Gdańsk, Poznań, and Wrocław, but also has bases in select small towns such as Sanok and Sokołów Podlaski. Each of Poland’s 16 administrative regions accommodates at least one HEMS base run by the service. The largest number of bases, comprised of three locations, is located in the country’s central region of Mazovia.
The latest development marks another successful HEMS bid by Airbus in Europe, following the company’s successful helicopter sales to EMS operators in several European countries. These include Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Bulgaria, and Romania, among others, according to data from the business.
A four-ton-class twin-engine helicopter, the H145 is designed to ensure a high degree of mission versatility ranging from emergency medical services to law enforcement, offshore transport, and passenger aviation, according to Airbus Helicopters. The aircraft’s producer says that, with more than 2,150 units delivered to operators across the globe and over 8.5 million flight hours accumulated, the helicopter owes its popularity to its combination of agility with versatility for demanding civil missions.
The group says that the H145 features multiple EMS cabin interiors that were designed in collaboration with leading EMS providers based on HEMS customer feedback.
“The new Helionix avionics suite allows efficient HEMS operation under challenging conditions. With its low external sound level, the H145 allows operations around hospitals and in urban areas,” the company said.
Airbus Helicopters claims that the H145 is the only rotorcraft within its range that can take off and land at 20,000 ft. The aircraft’s capability for rapid take-offs and precise landings enables it to respond quickly to vital missions, according to the manufacturer.
About the Author
Jaroslaw Adamowski is a freelance writer based in Warsaw, Poland. He covers various developments related to European EMS across the continent.
