As this publication reported back in September 2022, the Polish government initiated a contract to buy (94) U.S. AH-64 APACHE helicopters. That deal has finally been concluded. The official announcement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency reads below:
“The Government of Poland has requested to buy ninety-six (96) AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopters; two hundred ten (210) T700-GE 701D engines (192 installed, 18 spares); ninety-seven (97) AN/ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/AN/AAR-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors (M-TADS/PNVS) (96 installed, 1 spare); thirty-seven (37) AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars (FCR) Mast Mounted Assembly (MMA) (36 installed, 1 spare); thirty-seven (37) Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) Radar Electronic Units (REU), (36 installed, 1 spare); ninety-six (96) AN/APR-48B Modernized Radar Frequency Interferometers (MRFI); one hundred two (102) AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) (96 installed, 6 spares); two hundred four (204) AN/ARC-231A, with RT-1987 Receiver Transmitters, Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (VHF/UHF) radios (192 installed, 12 spares); one thousand eight hundred forty-four (1,844) AGM-114R2 Hellfire Missiles; ninety-six (96) M36E8 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); four hundred sixty (460) AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM); five hundred eight (508) Stinger 92K Block I Missiles; and seven thousand six hundred fifty (7,650) WGU-59/B Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II) Guidance Sections (GS). Also included are Radar Signal Detecting Sets; Laser Detecting Sets; Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponders; Improved Data Modems; Small Tactical Terminals; Improved Countermeasure Dispensing Systems (ICMD); Automatic Direction Finders; Doppler Radar Velocity Sensors; Radar Altimeter Common Cores (RACC); Tactical Air Navigation Set (TACAN); Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers; Simple Key Loader; Advanced Weapon System Automatic Machine Guns; rocket launchers; missile launchers; rockets; ammunition; Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Receiver; MUMT Air-Air-Ground kits; training devices; communication systems; helmets; simulators; generators; aircrew survivability equipment; transportation and organization equipment; spare and repair parts; support equipment; tools and test equipment; technical data and publications; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance; technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of program and logistical support. The estimated total cost is $12.0 billion.”
Poland maintains (30) Mi-24W/Ds, (27) Mi-8/17s, (38) PZL W-3s, (41) PZL Mi-2 and already has an order for (32) AW149s from Italy. The KRUK Attack Helicopter Program has been an acquisitions campaign to modernize the fleet of attack helicopters, but not its combat support and utility platforms. The original framework called for a 1:1 replacement of the Mi-24s, but this purchase almost triples the original number.
This purchase would make Poland the largest operator of the APACHE after the U.S.
