The delegation from Senegal visited the Łódź based facility on 12th January. One of the most important points of the visit was seen in a test flight of the Mi-24W helicopter, flown by a mixed Polish-Senegalese crew. The helicopter went through a general lifetime-expanding overhaul in Poland.
Senegal uses two Mi-24W helicopters acquired from Russia, back in 2007. The Air Force of the aforesaid state operates a modest helicopter force, which has a quite eclectic composition, including 2 examples of Mi-24, Mi-17 and Mi-2 and Bell Jet Ranger each, and single examples of Bell UH-1H, Eurocopter AS355 and Agusta Westland AW139, with the latter platform being used as a SAR helicopter.
WZL Nr 1 S.A., a part of the Polish Armaments Group, is the main helicopter overhaul facility in Poland, with credentials at its hand allowing the entity to repair and maintain the following types of aircraft: Mi-8, Mi-14, Mi-17, Mi-24, W-3 Sokół and SH-2G Kaman. The facility is also to obtain ability to maintain and repair other helicopters, which are soon going to be introduced into the inventory of the Polish Army.