Toward the end of last November, the U.S. company Boeing announced that the U.S. government had awarded it the production contract for the 96 new AH-64E Apaches that will equip the Polish Armed Forces, shaping an operation worth more than 4.7 billion dollars. In this way, Warsaw becomes the nineteenth user of the platform, while once deliveries begin in 2028, the country will move forward in positioning its Army as the one with the largest number of units available outside the U.S. Army itself.
Celebrating this news, Boeing’s Vice President of Attack Helicopter Programs, Christina Upah, stated: “This important agreement allows us to begin building one of the largest and most formidable Apache fleets the world has ever seen. In close cooperation with the Polish Armed Forces, we are focused on rigorous execution to help enhance Poland’s defense capabilities and meet the strong demand for the most advanced attack helicopter.”
It is worth recalling, in this context of close cooperation with Poland to meet its significant demand for helicopters, that the local industry will play an important role in providing maintenance and support for the AH-64E fleet the country will add; for this purpose, a series of training courses for Polish workers is already underway. In addition, Boeing states in its official communication that it will contribute to the development and establishment of a composite materials laboratory, thus strengthening domestic capabilities thanks to an agreement with the Ministry of Defense.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that Warsaw has already secured the lease of a reduced fleet composed of eight AH-64Ds in exchange for an investment of 300 million dollars, which will allow future Polish pilots and technicians to train in preparation for the arrival of the new AH-64Es. As we reported at the end of October, Poland already has nearly all of this group of helicopters from the U.S. Army, with the last two units still pending delivery.
It is also useful to mention at this point that this major helicopter acquisition to modernize the Polish Army’s attack capabilities was made possible thanks to financial support from Washington through a loan granted in 2024 amounting to 3 billion dollars provided via Foreign Military Financing (FMF). This is no minor detail, as it allowed the European country not only to acquire a larger number of helicopters but also a substantial weapons package that includes AGM-114R2 Hellfire and AGM-179A missiles, as well as AN/APG-78 fire control radars.
Finally, from the manufacturer’s side, it has been officially stated that in recent months helicopters have been delivered to various forces that have chosen to incorporate the design. Among the most notable recipients are the Australian Army, the Indian Army, and the Royal Moroccan Air Force. Globally, Boeing claims to have delivered more than 1,300 helicopters of the AH-64 family, underscoring the platform’s significant commercial success.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
You may also like: For US$ 500 million, Poland finalized the purchase of new AIM-120D-3 missiles from the U.S. for its F-35A stealth fighters
