US DoD approves sale of Apache Guardian to Poland
On 21 August 2023, the US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Poland of AH-64E Apache Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 12,0 billion.
The new Apache Guardians will replace the ageing Mi-24 attack helicopters with the Lotnictwo Wojsk Ladowych (LWL, Polish Army Aviation).
Scramble Magazine first reported in September 2022 that the Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD) officially announced the intention to acquire 96 new attack helicopters and that the Boeing AH-64E Apache, in the latest Guardian version, has been selected.
Included in the attack helicopter request amongst other are 210 engines/spare engines, Night Vision Sensors, AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars (FCR) Mast Mounted Assembly (MMA) (36 installed, 1 spare), Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) Radar Electronic Units (REU), (36 installed, 1 spare), AGM-114R2 Hellfire Missiles, Captive Air Training Missiles and Stinger 92K Block I missiles. Next to that the request contains personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor technical assistance, technical and logistics support services and other related elements of program and logistical support.
The main contractor are Boeing, Mesa (AZ) and Lockheed Martin, Orlando (FL). Poland has requested for offsets in this multi billion USD purchase. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s).
In October 2019, Poland's Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the "Technical Modernisation Plan 2021-2035", with the main priority set for the replacement of the Mi-24 attack helicopters under the 'Kruk' programme.
Photo (just illustrative) by Django Bruinink (Scramble Archive)