The U.S. State Department has agreed to the sale of nearly a hundred American-made Apache attack helicopters and accompanying equipment for $12 billion to Poland, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) confirmed on Monday, August 21st.
“The proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a [NATO] ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the DCSA’s press statement reads.
The $12 billion (€11 billion) deal includes the purchase of 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, 2900 pieces of different missiles, advanced radar and missile warning systems, night vision sensors, spare engines, rocket launchers, automatic machine guns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The new weaponry will “improve Poland’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing credible force that is capable of deterring adversaries,” the DCSA stated, adding that “Poland will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
To make this absorption even smoother, the State Department and its contractors will send five to eight expert personnel to Poland for a duration of up to five years to support “equipment fielding and training.”
Before shipment, however, the helicopters will have to be produced by their American manufacturer, Boeing. But according to Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin promised that Washington would provide an equal number of helicopters from its own resources until the new aircraft are ready and delivered.
The deal comes after another multi-billion dollar weapons order from Poland, which earned the State Department’s approval last December and consisted of 116 Abrams main battle tanks, 78 other various combat vehicles, and all the related equipment for $3.75 billion (€3.45 billion).
If this feels like overspending, that’s because it is, at least in the sense of Poland’s obligations to NATO. Earlier this year, Warsaw committed to raising its defense spending to 4% of its annual GDP (instead of the required 2%), which is higher than that of any other NATO ally, including the U.S.
It is no secret that Poland is actively preparing for any possible outcome of the war in Ukraine, including further Russian invasions in Central Europe, which Warsaw believes would happen eventually if Ukraine failed to achieve a decisive victory. To avoid this scenario, Poland was the first NATO country to signal its readiness to put troops in Ukraine in case the country’s situation critically deteriorated.
The U.S. believes that Poland’s extensive rearmament program does not carry the risk of escalation, nor does it mean Poland will be left alone to deal with problems related to the new equipment. According to the DCSA’s statement, this newest sale of $12 billion worth of military hardware “will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” and “there will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result.”
