Poland Cleared For AH-64E Purchase, Raven Program In Full Swing
The US State Department has cleared Poland to potentially purchase 96 AH-64E ‘Guardian’ attack helicopters for the maximum price of $12 billion. In recent months Poland was cleared to procure AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles for potential integration with AW-149 and to supplement the future AH-64 purchase.
Alongside the clearance for the procurement of up to 96 aircraft, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notice, published on 21 August, also stated that the sale could include:
- (97) AN/ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/AN/AAR-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors (M-TADS/PNVS)
- (37) AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars (FCR) Mast Mounted Assembly (MMA)
- (37) Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) Radar Electronic Units (REU)
- (96) AN/APR-48B Modernized Radar Frequency Interferometers (MRFI)
- (102) AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS)
- (204) AN/ARC-231A, with RT-1987 Receiver Transmitters, Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (VHF/UHF) radios
- (508) Stinger 92K Block I Missiles
Procurement of the AH-64E Apache satisfies the operational needs of the Polish Armed Forces under the “Raven” Program which had been a subject of discussion for years. The necessity to enhance the attack helicopter fleet and replace the post-Soviet Mi-24 aircraft became one of the top priorities for the Polish Ministry of Defense.
As previously mentioned in our earlier reporting, Poland will receive at least 8 AH-64 helicopters from the US Army stockpile until the finalization of the deal with the US. It means that the Polish Armed Forces will receive its first AH-64s this year. A solid date for obtaining an agreement is not yet known, however, Warsaw is currently discussing the terms such as final costs and number of the aircraft it wants to procure. It is rather unlikely that Warsaw will decide to obtain all 96 Apaches it has been cleared for, with the maximum price of $12 billion. A decision to purchase a smaller number of aircraft with the option to procure additional helicopters in a potential second stage of the program is more likely.