Procurement Procedure Regarding The Engines For The Polish MiG-29 Fighter Aircraft

The tender is divided into nine separate parts, related to single RD-33 engines. According to the tender conditions, the engines may be overhauled, with inter-overhaul lifetime which would be not shorter than 350 hours in the air, and more than 700 hours of the remaining lifetime.  The engines need to come with a guarantee covering the initial 200 hours of flight-time or 2 years, whichever comes first. The supplied jet turbines shall be preserved, in line with the documentation, for the period which is to be at least 2 years. It should also be supplied with transport cases/containers. Besides the aforementioned conditions, price is going to be a decisive factor within the scope of the procurement (with the assessment weight of 90%). The remaining part of the assessment is related to the provided guarantee.

This is yet another transaction, the purpose of which is to maintain the MiG-29 fighters in the active service. Polish fighters use the RD-33 series 2 Klimov engines, which are no longer being manufactured. In 2011, the Air Force acquired six engines, in the period between 2013 and 2014 four engines were bought, while another four examples were procured this year.

At the moment, the Klimov company manufactures the third series of the engine which – when it comes to the systems used – significantly differs from the model applied in case of the Polish jets. Thus, above all, overhauled and refurbished jet engines are acquired.

Examples provided by Air Forces of foreign nations are also being considered. Military Aviation Works no. 4 in Warsaw (WZL-4) is the facility which deals with overhauls of the RD-33 engines in Poland, also within the scope of the agreement, the purpose of which is to provide support for operation of the Bulgarian MiG-29 fighters.