Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has secured a multi-billion-dollar international order for the company’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopter.
The $4.6 billion deal was announced on 25 November through the USA’s Foreign Military Sales system, with the Pentagon disclosing that aircraft for Poland, Kuwait and Egypt are included.
In addition to aircraft, the package includes support articles such as Boeing’s containerised Longbow Crew Trainer flight simulator.
Boeing confirms to FlightGlobal that 96 Apaches for Poland are included among the total – the full amount contracted under an order signed in 2024.
Poland intends to use AH-64Es to replace its army’s aged Soviet-era Mil Mi-24-family of helicopters, 29 of which are in service, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Work on the aircraft order is estimated for completion by 2032, according to the US Army. Boeing assembles the AH-64E in Mesa, Arizona.
Warsaw already had plans to operate eight of the earlier AH-64D Apaches under a lease agreement signed with the US Army in February. The first of those rotorcraft arrived in Poland in June, with the goal of training Polish aviators and support crews before deliveries of aircraft for its permanent AH-64E fleet begin.
Egypt already operates 46 of the older AH-64D, while the Kuwaiti air force has 16 D-model Apaches in service, Cirium says.
Boeing declines to say how many Apaches will go to the two Middle Eastern countries under the latest contract.
However, data from Cirium indicates that Egypt had options for 10 of the newer AH-64E, while Kuwait had options available for eight.
