Poland Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Mariusz Blaszczak, confirmed the signature of the contract with the United States to acquire a stock of Lockheed Martin AGM-114 HELLFIRE II air-to-surface missiles.

In detail, the country’s Armaments Agency signed a contract with the US Army’s Security Assistance Command for the delivery of up to 800 HELLFIRE missiles to equip future Polish Leonardo AW-149 and Boeing AH-64E APACHE GUARDIAN helicopters. The cost of this important deal is estimated to be around USD 150 million, and it will include training systems, support, and other not specified services. At this stage, the missiles delivery date is unknown, however, Poland is expected to receive the first of 32 AW-149 helicopters later in 2023. The first of 8 loaned US Army AH-64E attack helicopters will arrive in 2024, waiting for the arrival of the 96 newbuild helicopters from 2026 which will make Poland the second APACHE user in the world in terms of numbers, arming up to 6 Squadrons.

In accordance with the Polish Ministry of Defence, the HELLFIRE integration with the AW-149 will occur this year, with the support of Leonardo’s PZL-Swidnik subsidiary, and will equip the rotorcrafts which will be assigned to the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade, headquartered in Tomaszow Mazowiecki. The AGM-114R2, the new semi-active laser/inertial navigation guided version of the famous missile, has a range from 0.5 km to 8 km, and it is armed with a 12.5 kg high explosive semi-armor piercing, blast, fragmentation, tandem hollow charge warhead.

Considering its payload and possible configurations, the AW-149 should be able to carry up to 8 missiles on 2 quad-launchers fitted to removable weapons stations on each side of the helicopter, while the AH-64E could carry up to 4 quad-launchers which means up to 16 missiles. Boeing Defense & Space has already announced that the Polish agreement will contribute to safeguarding the manufacturing of its factory in Mesa, Arizona, responsible to build all 96 new rotorcrafts, until 2030.

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