Summary
- Poland signed a $10 billion contract for 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters, becoming the world’s largest operator outside the US.
- The Polish military budget has increased significantly, with the first Apaches expected to be delivered in 2028.
- Poland is modernizing its armed forces, replacing legacy Soviet aircraft with modern ones like F-35A fighter jets.
Poland has signed a massive order for 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters. This will make Poland the world’s largest operator of the Apache outside of the United States and is another remarkable development of Poland’s massive military build-up since the 2022 Full-Scale Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Poland is currently replacing its legacy Soviet-built fighter jets and helicopters with modern aircraft, including KAI T-50 Golden Eagles and F-35A Lightning II fighter jets.
Poland’s 96 Apache attack helicopter purchase
The contract for 96 AH-64H Apaches is valued at $10 billion – a massive investment for the Polish military. For comparison, the Israeli Air Force operates fewer than 50 Apaches, and the British Army is set to operate 50. The Polish military budget has ballooned from around $15 billion in 2021 to around $35 billion in 2024.
The first Apaches are expected to be delivered to Poland in 2028. In the meantime, according to Janes, the US Army is to lease eight helicopters to help Poland stand up and transition to the new capability.
“The transformation of the Polish army continues. Today we signed a contract for the purchase of 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters along with a logistics package. This is significant support for aviation and another step in the modernisation of our armed forces,” Polish Minister of National Defense Kosiniak-Kamysz
Aerotime notes that the deal follows the US last year approving the sale to Poland of 1,844 AGM-114R2 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, 460 AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM), 508 Stinger 92K Block 1 missiles, and 7,560 WGU-59/B Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II) rockets. Poland’s new Apaches will replace its existing stocks of around 30 Soviet-made Mi24 Hind gunships.

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Advanced Attack Helicopter: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About The Boeing AH-64 Apache
Since 1987, the Apache has played an integral role in conflicts around the world.
A rearming Poland
Over the last two years, Poland has been on an unprecedented shopping spree buying Korean KAI T-50 Golden Eagle, a thousand K2 Black Panther main battle tanks, hundreds of US-made M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, over 800 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers, and much more. While the expected NATO commitment to national defense is 2% of GDP, Poland is spending over 4% in 2024 and is expected to spend 5% in 2025.
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Poland has 32 F-35A fighter jets on order. In August, Lockheed Martin stated that the first Polish F-35As are undergoing final fit-outs as they roll out. These jets will enable the Polish Air Force to dramatically increase its capabilities. The F-35A will be a massive leap over current capabilities (the existing backbone of the Polish Air Force is around 50 F-16C/D Fighting Falcons).
Poland has been one of the top suppliers of weapons to Ukraine. It has donated vast amounts of its legacy Soviet stockpiles but is struggling to part with more of its old stockpiles as it awaits its massive new orders of military hardware to arrive in large numbers.