The year 2022 brought Wojskowe Zakłady Lotniczy Nr 2 S. A. several groundbreaking decisions and important agreements, confirming that we are an important partner for the Polish Army.
In July this year, we signed a five-year contract (with an option for another five years) with the American company AAR Government Services INC for technical support for the F-16 aircraft belonging to the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
SLEP (Service Life Extencion Program), implemented under this agreement, is of key importance for the Company, due to the opening of the capacity to perform on the F-16 aircraft, among others, all kinds of maintenance, structural or modernization work. This primarily involves training staff, acquiring the necessary competencies, but also creating fully equipped service stations while adapting the plant infrastructure. Thanks to the acquired competences, the Company will be able to carry out in the future a similar range of works on F-16 aircraft of the Polish Air Force, which will be modernized in the coming years.
In addition to the business dimension, this is an important point for State Security, as with each such service we become an increasingly reliable partner in NATO with technical support capabilities for the allied fleet.
In the past year 2022, WZL No. 2 started the implementation of the agreement within the framework of the procedure EDA (Excess Defense Articles) signed on 12 April 2021. The first Hercules C-130H aircraft arrived in Poland in July this year, and the second in October 2022. The structural overhaul of the machines will last in WZL No. 2 until the end of 2023.
As part of creating the basis for the establishment of a service center for the engines used by the F-16 family, we also signed a 3-year contract for the repair of the F-100 engine modules in the years 2022 ÷ 2025. As part of building competence for the repair of the LPT (Low Pressure Turbine) module of the F100-PW-229 engine, in 2022, works aimed at preparing the infrastructure and purchasing the necessary equipment and tools for the repair of the module were undertaken. In the coming year 2023, numerous specialist trainings are planned to increase the competence of WZL Nr 2 S. A. personnel to operate the F100-PW-229 engine. Another priority area of development within WZL2 S. A. is strengthening and intensifying the expansion of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Competence Center, established by the decision of the PGZ Group in 2016.
Employees of the UAVS Competence Center actively participate in proceedings conducted by the Ministry of Defense Armaments Agency, technical dialogues, scientific conferences, constantly increasing their competences in this field. Based on access to modern technologies, machine park, own research laboratories, highly qualified staff, UAVS Competence Center implements development projects of unmanned systems that are to become equipment of the Armed Forces and other services in a short time. It thus guarantees the comprehensiveness of the offered services, possession of the required certificates and permits, as well as Polish technical thinking, ensuring high security of supply and guarantees of long-term agreements in the field of technical support of operation. This is facilitated by close cooperation with Polish military research institutes, enabling to meet the most difficult user requirements, thanks to access to the latest technologies and world trends.
The completion of the construction process of a company with a national potential in the field of servicing airplanes and engines of various technological platforms creates the basis for the development prospects of WZL2. The company has the potential to become an essential element in the process of maintaining operational capability for combat vehicles and drones.