Through a brief statement on his social media accounts, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that the country already has seven of the eight AH-64D attack helicopters that were leased from the U.S. Army, intended to speed up the training process of future pilots who will operate the AH-64E variant purchased by Warsaw as part of its military modernization. Specifically, it was indicated that the seventh unit of this fleet has already arrived at Air Base No. 56, located in the town of Inowrocław.
Accompanied by a photograph of the helicopters in question, the official stated: “We already have seven of the eight AH-64D APACHE helicopters supplied to the Polish Army under a leasing arrangement in Inowrocław. The timely delivery of the aircraft guarantees that the training of soldiers, pilots, and technicians will be carried out as planned. The modernization of the Polish Army means new deterrence and defense capabilities. It is a guarantee of security and strength.”
It is worth recalling at this point that the Polish Army received its last two AH-64D helicopters during October 2025, which were also delivered to Inowrocław to be integrated into the 1st Aviation Brigade of the Land Forces. However, as we reported at the time, completion of the fleet of helicopters leased from the United States was also expected by the end of the year, something that has not yet been achieved. With these timelines in mind, Warsaw invested close to USD 300 million to ensure the rapid arrival of the units, although it remains unclear when the eighth helicopter will be received.
Looking ahead, it should be recalled that Poland expects to add a fleet of a total of ninety-six new AH-64E attack helicopters, which will be delivered in exchange for approximately USD 12 billion. This package also includes contractual clauses facilitating the participation of local industry in the maintenance of the platforms and their engines. According to current plans, deliveries of these new models should begin in 2028, with the completion of the delivery period scheduled for 2032.
Finally, it should also be noted that the United States is not only providing leased helicopters to facilitate the training of Polish crews, but also training for pilots and technicians who will later become instructors for future cohorts. In mid-2025, Warsaw indicated that this cooperation had already made it possible to train around twenty pilots and twenty-two specialists, with estimates pointing to doubling that number by the end of the year. Looking ahead to 2026, the Army aims to train another fifty pilots and two hundred and fifty additional specialists.
*Image credits: @pawelbejda on X
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