Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz signed a $10 billion agreement with U.S. company Boeing for 96 Apache attack helicopters for the country's army, Polish media reported on Aug. 13.
The contract, signed in the Polish city of Inowrocław, incudes the delivery of 96 of the helicopters along with a logistics and training package.
Poland's new Apaches will replace the Soviet-era Mi-24 helicopters in the Polish army aviation.
Poland also has acquired the equipment needed to maintain these helicopters, which will allow the country's aircraft plants to overhaul or repair individual AH-64E components.
Commenting on the deal, U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski noted that Poland “is becoming the largest operator of Apache helicopters outside the United States.”
Earlier this week, Poland signed another deal worth more than $1.2 billion for the production of 48 M903 launchers for Patriot missile defense systems.
Both contracts are part of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s package of investments designed to strengthen Poland’s military capacity and ability to prevent potential aggression from Russia and Belarus as Russia continues its full-scale war in Ukraine.