Poland's National Defense Minister Paweł Bejda, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Prime Minister Donald Tusk (L-R) are framed by an Apache attack helicopter ahead of a signing ceremony for offset agreements between Military Aviation Works No. 1 and Lockheed Martin.
Credit: Krzysztof Niedziela/Polish National Defense Ministry
Poland’s government has signed offset agreements with Lockheed Martin to enable the servicing of sensors and systems fitted to the country’s new fleet of Boeing AH-64 Apaches.
Lockheed Martin supplies the TADS/PNVS sighting system, the associated Day Sensor Assembly as well as the Longbow fire control radar that equips the attack helicopter.
Through the agreements, announced March 23, Lodz-based Military Aviation Works (WZL-1) will perform maintenance on these sensors and others produced by Lockheed Martin, a move that defense officials say will increase helicopter availability for the Polish Armed Forces and bolster domestic maintenance capabilities. The deal follows on from similar arrangements between GE Aviation and WZL-1 in Deblin signed in August 2024 to provide MRO support for the T700 engines that power not only the Apaches but also Poland’s S-70i Black Hawks, and Leonardo AW149 and AW101 helicopters.
According to Polish government officials, the latest agreements formally launch the process of construction for a specialized Apache helicopter repair base at WZL-1 in Lodz.
"This is an extraordinary moment when the Military Aviation Works in Lodz gains the ability to service Apaches, but also other helicopters in service with the Polish Army,” said Poland’s defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, speaking at the signing ceremony.
Poland is acquiring 96 AH-64E Apaches to support its growing land forces. The $10.8 billion program is the largest of all Poland’s defense programs in terms of value.
Once delivered, Poland’s Apache fleet will be the largest outside the U.S. and is part of a wider recapitalization of the Polish military that will remove Soviet-era equipment from the inventory and build a deterrent that would discourage a potential Russian attack.
The attack helicopter was selected in September 2022 over Bell’s AH-1Z Viper to meet the requirements of Poland’s Kruk program, closing a near-decade-long search to find a replacement for its Russian-built Mil Mi-24/35 “Hind” gunships.
While the aircraft were purchased to support land forces, Poland also sees them performing an air defense role combating uncrewed aerial vehicles such as one-way attack drones.
Poland is currently leasing eight AH-64D Apaches from the U.S. Army to shorten the transition process and ease the training burden. Several dozen Polish technicians and pilots have already completed Apache training in the U.S.
In January 2026, a new training program for professional non-commissioned officers to become military helicopter pilots was launched at the Air Force Academy in Deblin.
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