Air Force
Apache Helicopters Getting Closer to the Polish Armed Forces
The US government provided us with a draft agreement (LOA) on August 23 this year, covering, in addition to 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters, also a maximum package of weapons and equipment. We are currently conducting talks with the American side aimed at defining the final subject of the contract - emphasized in an interview with Defence24.pl. Brigadier General Artur Kuptel, head of the Armament Agency.
Poland first received the consent of the State Department and then Congress for the purchase of 96 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters. Simultaneously, the Armament Agency received a draft agreement (LOA - Letter of Acceptance) was sent, which was a response to the Letter of Request (LOR) sent by Poland at the turn of August and September last years. As is public knowledge, the maximum value of the package is 12 billion dollars.
As reported in the State Department's notification to Congress, the approved package includes:
- 37 AN/APG-78 Longbow radars
- 96 AN/APR-48B MRFI 2 interferometers (for detection radiation warning)
- 1844 AGM-144R2 Hellfire anti-tank missiles
- 460 AGM-179A JAGM armor-piercing rounds
- 508 FIM-92K Stinger air-to-air missiles
- 7,650 conversion kits for APKWS missiles
- 102 CMWS missile launch warning systems
- IFF and navigation systems
- Rockets and ammunition
- Additional equipment, including communication equipment, simulators, etc.
- Equipment for interaction with unmanned aerial vehicles (MUM-T)
Gen. Kuptel noted that at the same time there are ongoing talks with the industry side regarding the offset and with the US Army, "with regard to a bridging solution in the form of the transfer of 8 AH-64D helicopters from the resources of the US Army units for the training of pilots and ground personnel before the start of deliveries of new AH-64E helicopters."
The head of the Armament Agency noted that "Currently, we are not planning to divide the order for Apache helicopters into parts." At the same time, however, it can be concluded from General Kuptel's statement that the Apache helicopters planned for purchase are intended to cooperate with Black Hawks: "It should be noted that the Armament Agency ensures the acquisition of military equipment with technical and functional parameters specified by the user, i.e. special and operational forces. Nevertheless, bearing in mind the effective and rational use of the acquired helicopters, we must approach them as a full combat system, mutually dependent and complementary during operations. Solutions tested in combat conditions by the US Army prove that only the preparation of the appropriate APACHE - BLACK HAWK combat tandem will ensure the synergy effect and proper impact on the enemy. Therefore, when purchasing Black Hawk helicopters, we take into account the requirements related to ensuring interoperability in this tandem. Due to the ongoing negotiations with the American side, we will have to wait for the details."