Poland Defence Ministry Awards AW101 Training Contract

Standfirst

Poland has awarded a PLN 6.56 million contract for specialist simulator training for flying personnel operating AW101 helicopters associated with the Darłowo Aviation Group. The training will take place at Leonardo's Norwegian Training Centre in Sola, Norway, and cover basic simulator instruction, Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and combat flying. The contract was awarded to LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A. under an accelerated restricted procurement procedure. The result highlights the importance of advanced flight simulation and international training infrastructure in military aviation readiness.

Introduction

Poland has awarded a specialist military aviation training contract worth PLN 6,563,975.32 to LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A. The procurement covers simulator-based training for flying personnel operating AW101 helicopters associated with the Darłowo Aviation Group. The training is to be conducted using the AW101 Full Flight Simulator (FSS) at Leonardo's Norwegian Training Centre in Sola, Norway.

The award is recorded in European Union public procurement notice 698757-2026, published in the Official Journal of the European Union under OJ S 196/2026 on 9 October 2026. The contracting authority is 17 WOJSKOWY ODDZIAŁ GOSPODARCZY, a Polish public-law body whose principal activity is defence.

The training programme covers three areas: Basic Training, Performance-Based Navigation and Combat Flying. These areas address foundational simulator instruction, navigation-related competencies and mission-oriented flying scenarios. The notice identifies the main procurement classification as CPV 80650000, covering training and simulation in aircraft, missiles and spacecraft.

The contract demonstrates how military aviation training can involve cross-border delivery arrangements. The buyer is based in Poland, the successful supplier is registered in Poland and the specified training location is in Norway. The procurement therefore connects national defence requirements with specialist aviation training infrastructure located outside the buyer's country.

Why This Contract Matters

Military aviation readiness depends on more than aircraft availability. Personnel must be trained to operate complex aircraft systems, follow approved procedures and respond to demanding operational situations. Simulator-based instruction provides a structured environment for developing and practising these capabilities without relying exclusively on live aircraft training.

The AW101 is a sophisticated helicopter platform, and the procurement specifically identifies an AW101 Full Flight Simulator. The use of this platform-specific simulator allows the training programme to focus on the relevant aircraft environment. The published notice does not disclose the number of pilots, individual training hours or detailed performance outcomes, so the precise training capacity cannot be established from the award notice alone.

The contract is also significant because it includes combat flying training alongside basic simulator training and PBN instruction. This combination indicates that the required service extends beyond introductory familiarisation. It encompasses different training objectives within one procurement, although the notice does not provide a detailed breakdown of the number of sessions or the allocation of the contract value among the three components.

For the defence procurement market, the award illustrates demand for specialised services that combine aircraft-specific knowledge, simulator availability and qualified training delivery. Such contracts can be relevant to aviation manufacturers, simulator operators, military training providers and companies supporting defence aviation programmes.

Contract Timeline

• 20 May 2026: The contracting authority selected the winning tender.
• 25 May 2026: The contract was concluded under contract identifier 139/05/03/26/R.
• 8 October 2026: The award notice was dispatched for publication.
• 9 October 2026: Notice 698757-2026 was published in OJ S 196/2026.

The notice identifies the procedure as accelerated and restricted. It does not state the specific reason for acceleration in the fields available in the published result. The stated review deadline information is 10 days. Suppliers considering any legal or procedural action should consult the original procurement documents and applicable Polish procurement rules to establish how that deadline is calculated and applied.

Contract Overview

The procurement was organised by 17 WOJSKOWY ODDZIAŁ GOSPODARCZY, based in Koszalin, Poland. Its role was to obtain specialist simulator training for flying personnel associated with the Darłowo Aviation Group and AW101 helicopter 614, as stated in the procurement title.

The successful tenderer was LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A., registered in Świdnik, Poland. The training itself is specified to take place at Leonardo Norway Training Centre in Sola, Norway. The result notice records one lot and a contract value of PLN 6,563,975.32. The supplier's tender value matches the total value of all contracts awarded under the notice.

The award criterion was price, weighted at 100 points. The published result does not identify a separate quality score or technical merit weighting. This should not be taken to mean that technical requirements were absent; rather, the reported award criterion was price, while the detailed service requirements were established through the procurement description and associated documents.

Key Contract Details

Project Scope

The contract's central objective is the delivery of specialist simulator training for pilots using the AW101 FSS at Leonardo Norway Training Centre in Sola. The notice specifies three training components.

• Basic Training: Foundational simulator instruction for the relevant flying personnel. The award notice does not provide the detailed syllabus or number of training sessions.
• Performance-Based Navigation: Training in PBN procedures and associated navigation competencies. The precise navigation modules and assessment requirements are not detailed in the result notice.
• Combat Flying: Training related to the application of flying skills in combat-oriented scenarios. The notice does not disclose specific mission profiles or tactical exercises.

The services are to be delivered in accordance with the requirements set out in the description of the contract subject and the draft agreement attached to the procurement invitation. These underlying documents would be needed to determine the full syllabus, instructor requirements, training schedule, acceptance conditions and any reporting obligations.

The specified simulator is an AW101 Full Flight Simulator. Using a simulator designed for the relevant aircraft type provides a platform for structured practice in a controlled setting. The contract description does not, however, specify simulator certification details, device configuration, fidelity standards or the extent to which the training is integrated with other elements of the operators' training programmes.

About the Contracting Authority

17 WOJSKOWY ODDZIAŁ GOSPODARCZY is the contracting authority named in the TED notice. It is identified as a body governed by public law and its activity is classified as defence. The organisation is located at 4-go Marca 3, Koszalin, postcode 75-901, Poland.

The notice lists the contracting authority's website as https://17wog.wp.mil.pl/ and provides the procurement contact email 17wog.przetargi@ron.mil.pl. Its role in this procurement was to arrange the specialist training service required for the relevant flying personnel.

The notice also identifies the Polish Ministry of Defence, Kaitseministeerium, as the organisation whose budget pays for the contract. The result notice does not provide further details about the internal budget allocation or the specific military programme associated with this expenditure.

About the Organisations Involved

17 WOJSKOWY ODDZIAŁ GOSPODARCZY: The Polish public-law contracting authority responsible for the procurement. The notice lists its REGON number as 321203128 and NIP number as 6692516785.

LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A.: The successful tenderer and contract award recipient. Its registered location is Świdnik, postcode 21-045, Poland. The result notice identifies the company as the winner of LOT-0001 and records no subcontracting for its tender.

Leonardo Norway Training Centre: The training facility identified in the contract description. It is located in Sola, Norway, and is the specified venue for the AW101 FSS training. The notice identifies the facility in the service description but does not list it separately as the awarded supplier.

Publications Office of the European Union: The organisation identified as the TED eSender. It supports publication of procurement notices through the EU's official procurement notice system and is not identified as a contracting party to this training contract.

Procurement Analysis

The use of an accelerated restricted procedure is an important procedural feature. A restricted procedure generally separates the selection of suitable candidates from the submission and evaluation of tenders. The result notice confirms the procedure type and records that it was accelerated, but does not explain the specific justification for acceleration. That justification should therefore not be inferred from the contract's defence context alone.

Price was the sole published award criterion, carrying 100 points. This is a clear signal for suppliers reviewing the award structure: price was the stated basis for comparing tenders at the award stage. Nonetheless, bidders for specialist military training should also expect to demonstrate compliance with all mandatory technical, security and operational requirements set out in the procurement documents.

The legal basis is Directive 2009/81/EC, the EU framework for certain defence and security procurement contracts. This distinguishes the procurement from a standard civilian services award under Directive 2014/24/EU. Companies seeking similar opportunities should assess whether they can satisfy the relevant defence procurement, qualification, confidentiality and security requirements.

The contract was concluded on 25 May 2026, five days after the winner was selected on 20 May 2026. The result notice does not provide the tender submission deadline, the initial publication date of the procurement invitation or the detailed evaluation record. Consequently, a complete assessment of the procurement's overall duration and competitive process cannot be made from this result notice alone.

Additional Procurement Facts

The contract covers one lot, LOT-0001. There is no framework agreement, so the award is not reported as a multi-supplier framework arrangement. The result notice also records no subcontracting by the winning tenderer.

The published statistics contain an inconsistency that deserves attention. The result notice records one tender from a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise and one electronic tender, while the general submission category records one tender. It also reports zero tenders from other European Economic Area countries and zero tenders from outside the EEA. These fields should be read as the notice's separate statistical classifications rather than added together as if they represented distinct submissions.

The notice also displays zero submissions in the category for tenderers registered in other EEA countries and zero for tenderers registered outside the EEA, while reporting one tender overall and one from an SME. The available fields do not explain this statistical presentation. The safest interpretation is that the notice records one overall tender, but its category-level reporting should be verified against the underlying procurement record if precise participation statistics are required.

The contract's total recorded value is PLN 6,563,975.32. The result notice does not provide a separate breakdown for Basic Training, PBN or Combat Flying, so it is not possible to calculate the value attributable to each component. It also does not state the number of pilots to be trained or the contract's detailed delivery period.

Market and Industry Perspective

The award reflects a specialised segment of defence procurement in which the service requirement is linked to a particular aircraft platform and simulator environment. Unlike generic professional training, aircraft-specific simulator training depends on access to suitable equipment, an appropriate curriculum and personnel with relevant technical and instructional expertise.

The arrangement also demonstrates the cross-border nature of European defence supply chains. A Polish authority procured a service delivered at a training centre in Norway, with a Polish company named as the award recipient. This shows how the location of service delivery can differ from the buyer's country and the successful supplier's registered country.

For the aviation training market, opportunities may arise not only in pilot instruction but also in simulator support, training programme development, technical documentation, scheduling, assessment and maintenance of training systems. These are potential areas of market activity, not additional services confirmed as part of this particular award.

Suppliers should distinguish between opportunities to provide the full training service and opportunities to support a prime contractor. This award states that the winning tenderer will not subcontract the contract, so the notice does not establish any subcontracting opportunity under this specific agreement.

Economic Significance

The contract value of PLN 6.56 million represents a targeted investment in specialist military aviation training. The immediate economic purpose is the purchase of training services rather than the procurement of additional aircraft. The award therefore concerns the development and maintenance of personnel capability associated with an existing aviation platform.

Specialist training contracts can support demand for simulator facilities, instructor expertise and associated operational resources. Where training takes place abroad, delivery can also involve international coordination, travel and scheduling. However, the notice does not quantify the economic impact on the training centre, the number of staff involved or the distribution of expenditure between Poland and Norway.

The value should be understood as the reported contract award amount. It should not be treated as evidence of wider programme expenditure, additional aircraft procurement or future training commitments that are not specified in the notice.

Future Procurement Opportunities

The award may be relevant to suppliers tracking future defence aviation training requirements in Poland and across Europe. Organisations should monitor procurement notices for simulator-based training, aircraft crew qualification, navigation instruction, mission preparation and other platform-specific services.

Potential future opportunities could include additional training sessions, refresher programmes, instructor support or simulator services for other aircraft types. These are possible market developments rather than confirmed follow-on contracts. The published notice does not announce an extension, renewal or additional procurement phase.

Companies interested in this market should monitor TED notices and the contracting authority's procurement profile. The applicable CPV classification, the defence procurement legal framework and the named aircraft platform can help suppliers identify comparable opportunities. Searches should also include relevant training and simulation terms because procurement descriptions may use detailed technical wording not fully reflected in a single classification code.

Opportunities for Suppliers

• Aircraft-specific training providers: Organisations with AW101 simulator capability and relevant instructor expertise can monitor similar training requirements and assess the qualification conditions published in future notices.
• Military aviation training specialists: Providers of basic, navigation and combat-oriented simulator instruction can track procurement programmes involving other aircraft platforms.
• Simulator operators: Facilities offering suitable full-flight simulation infrastructure may find opportunities to support defence customers, subject to technical and security requirements.
• Defence service contractors: Prime contractors can assess whether future procurements permit subcontracting or require the supplier to deliver all services directly.
• Procurement intelligence teams: Businesses can use buyer names, CPV codes, aircraft platform references and training location details to identify relevant notices and map potential competitors.

Potential bidders should review the complete tender documentation before deciding whether to participate. In a restricted procedure, suppliers may need to satisfy selection requirements before they are invited to submit a tender. The precise requirements for this contract are not fully reproduced in the award notice.

What Businesses Should Watch

• Future AW101 training requirements: Monitor notices for further simulator training and qualification services related to the AW101 platform.
• Defence procurement procedures: Review whether new opportunities use restricted, accelerated or other procedures and identify the applicable submission requirements.
• Training facility locations: Check where services must be delivered, particularly when the buyer, supplier and training venue are based in different countries.
• Technical qualification requirements: Assess simulator specifications, instructor qualifications, security conditions and mandatory training outcomes in the original tender documents.
• Price evaluation: Identify the stated award criteria and weighting rather than assuming that all defence training contracts use the same evaluation model.
• Notice statistics: Verify tender participation data against source documents when category-level counts appear inconsistent with the reported total.

PolandTenders.com Procurement Intelligence

This award represents the specialised services segment of defence procurement, where the availability of a suitable training environment and platform-specific expertise can be central to contract delivery. The requirement combines basic simulator instruction, PBN and combat flying for AW101 personnel, illustrating how a single procurement can address several related training objectives.

The strategic importance lies in supporting the competence of flying personnel associated with a military helicopter capability. Simulator-based training offers a controlled environment for practising aircraft procedures and operational scenarios. The notice confirms the intended training categories but does not disclose the number of participants, the detailed syllabus or measurable training outcomes.

Suppliers can learn from the use of a restricted and accelerated procedure, the application of Directive 2009/81/EC and the 100-point price award criterion. Companies targeting similar opportunities should monitor defence procurement notices early, check selection requirements carefully and ensure that their technical offer directly addresses the aircraft platform and training scope specified by the buyer.

Future procurement activity may include further aircraft simulator training, refresher instruction and services for other defence aviation platforms, although no follow-on contract is confirmed in this notice. Suppliers should track relevant CPV classifications alongside aircraft model names, training-centre references and contracting authority profiles. polandTenders.com can help procurement teams identify relevant notices, review award information and monitor opportunities across defence and aviation training markets.

Supplier Takeaways

• The awarded contract is worth PLN 6,563,975.32 and covers AW101 simulator training.
• LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A. was selected as the winning supplier.
• The specified training location is Leonardo Norway Training Centre in Sola, Norway.
• The programme covers Basic Training, Performance-Based Navigation and Combat Flying.
• The procurement used an accelerated restricted procedure under Directive 2009/81/EC.
• Price was the stated award criterion, weighted at 100 points.
• The notice reports one overall tender, but its category-level tender statistics warrant caution.
• Future bidders should examine the complete procurement documents for technical, qualification and security requirements.

Key Takeaways

• Buyer: 17 WOJSKOWY ODDZIAŁ GOSPODARCZY, Poland.
• Winner: LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A.
• Value: PLN 6,563,975.32.
• Scope: Specialist AW101 Full Flight Simulator training for flying personnel associated with the Darłowo Aviation Group.
• Training venue: Sola, Norway.
• Contract date: 25 May 2026.
• Main CPV: 80650000, Training and simulation in aircraft, missiles and spacecraft.
• Procurement lesson: Aircraft-specific expertise, access to suitable simulator facilities and compliance with defence procurement requirements are important considerations for suppliers targeting similar opportunities.

Conclusion

Poland's PLN 6.56 million award to LEONARDO PZL-ŚWIDNIK S.A. secures specialist simulator training for flying personnel associated with the Darłowo Aviation Group's AW101 helicopter operations. The programme includes basic training, PBN and combat flying at Leonardo's Norwegian Training Centre in Sola. With the award evaluated on price under an accelerated restricted procedure, the contract offers a useful example of cross-border delivery in the European defence training market.

For suppliers, the main lesson is the importance of tracking platform-specific defence requirements and understanding the technical and procedural conditions behind each opportunity. The result notice provides the award value, winner and broad training scope, while detailed information about training volume, delivery scheduling and individual course components remains in the underlying procurement documentation.

Source: European Union, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), Contract or concession award notice 698757-2026, OJ S 196/2026, published 9 October 2026. View the official TED notice.