The US has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to produce advanced sensors in support of an AH-64E Apache foreign military sale to the Polish Air Force.
The deal includes the firm’s proprietary Generation 4 Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (Gen 4 TADS/PNVS) systems, which enhance the attack helicopter’s targeting and flight capabilities.
It will be coupled with the Common Sensor Electronic Unit and Generation 2 Turret suit, also provided by Lockheed, which will serve as the aircraft’s turret sensor structure.
To sustain the package’s continued operability, the company will collaborate with the Polish government to launch a TADS/PNVS Special Repair Activity in the central city of Łódź, which is expected to contribute to the NATO country’s economic growth.
“We are proud to support Poland’s modernization efforts by providing our battle-proven TADS/PNVS systems for their new AH-64E Apache helicopters,” Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Rotary Wing Sensors Director Tom Eldredge stated.
“The [Special Repair Activity] will support local maintenance and repair of most Gen 4 TADS/PNVS system repairable parts. This capability will enable the Polish Air Force to quickly complete any required maintenance and keep their aircraft operational.”
Poland’s Apache Acquisition
The American foreign military sale to Warsaw was announced in 2024 to support the Polish Air Force’s ongoing modernization in response to the conflict along NATO’s eastern flank.
The deal, valued at approximately $10 billion, is set to deliver up to 96 Apaches in the latest AH-64E configuration.
Earlier this year, Poland invested $300 million to lease eight AH-64D Apache Longbows, serving as a temporary fleet while awaiting the arrival of the AH-64Es.
The AH-64E Helicopter
Developed by Boeing, the AH-64E has an airframe measuring 59 feet (18 meters) long and has a wingspan of 17 feet (5 meters).
It is armed with a machine gun, missiles, and rockets and has two General Electric turboshaft engines with 1,900 horsepower each.
The aircraft has a maximum speed of 186 miles (299 kilometers) per hour, a range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,151 miles/1,852 kilometers), and an operational altitude of 21,000 feet (6,401 meters).
