Following a meeting with the US Defense Secretary in Washington, D.C., Poland’s Defense Minister announced on Friday that the United States will supply eight Apache helicopters to Poland while they await the delivery of the ones already ordered.
Poland’s Defense Minister, Mariusz Błaszczak, confirmed during a press briefing on Friday that the United States has agreed to supply eight Apache helicopters to Poland even before the contract for the purchase of 96 helicopters is signed. The announcement was made following Błaszczak’s meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington, D.C. The eight helicopters are set to be deployed to strengthen the Brest gate, located on the Polish border with southwest Belarus.
In addition, Błaszczak emphasized that US ground forces will commence training Polish pilots in a matter of weeks. He highlighted the significance of the Apache helicopters as they are highly compatible with Abrams tanks and are set to be stationed on NATO’s eastern flank. Błaszczak described them as a crucial component of an “impenetrable dam” in the region.
Last year, Poland expressed its desire to obtain 96 AH-64 Apache helicopter, but the purchase must still be approved by the US Congress and the Department of State.
During the meeting, Błaszczak also signed an agreement on defence procurement reciprocity with Austin. At the start of the meeting, Austin expressed his desire for the agreement to enhance industrial cooperation between the United States and Poland, both presently and in the future.
Błaszczak also highlighted that Poland’s procurement of nearly 500 HIMARS rocket artillery launchers presents an opportunity for the country’s defense industry. As per Błaszczak, discussions were underway regarding the production of components for the launchers in Poland.