Polish Firm Shows Optionally Manned Helicopter

PZL-Świdnik SA, the Polish helicopter manufacture owned by Italy’s AgustaWestland, has shown the prototype of an optionally manned helicopter designed for military missions.
The SW-4 ‘Solo’ Rotorcraft Unmanned Air System/Optionally Piloted Helicopter (RUAS/OPH) is based on the firm’s SW-4 single-engine helicopter and is designed to carry out manned and unmanned missions over land and sea, AgustaWestland said in a statement.
In its unmanned configuration, the firm envisages the helicopter being able to undertake such missions as maritime, border and battlefield surveillance; target acquisition and reconnaissance; homeland security, environmental monitoring, ground survey and mapping, disaster and battle damage assessment and cargo supply.

The helicopter can carry sensors, communications and intelligence systems and armaments, the firm said.
Piloted test flights are planned for the “forthcoming months” with the first unmanned flight expected in 2013.