Poland is advancing plans to build domestic manufacturing capabilities for unguided 70mm Hydra rockets through a partnership with two US firms.
Under an agreement signed by Polish Armaments Group’s (PGZ) Nitro-Chem, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, and Paramount Enterprises International, Nitro-Chem will initially assemble Hydra rockets at its Bydgoszcz facility using components supplied by General Dynamics.
The initial phase could eventually lead to the establishment of a local production and logistics hub involving Poland’s supply chain, aimed at securing a more reliable source of 70mm Hydra rockets for the Polish Armed Forces’ AH-64 Apache fleet, particularly during times of crisis.
Apart from supplying the Polish military, the potential hub is also being considered to produce requirements for other allied countries.
This is not the first time Poland has collaborated with the US in support of the Apache fleet and in strengthening the European country’s defense capabilities.
In March, Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 1 (WZL-1) teamed with Lockheed Martin to sustain the Apache chopper’s key systems, including its advanced electro-optical sensor system and fire control radar systems, at a facility within Łódź, Poland.
70mm Hydra Rockets
Produced by General Dynamics, the 70 mm Hydra rockets can be fitted with BAE Systems’ APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) guidance kit, converting them into low-cost laser-guided munitions for counter-drone missions.
The US military has tested APKWS-equipped rockets on platforms including the Apache helicopter, F-15E Strike Eagle, and the MQ-9A Reaper.
In combat, the US Air Force and US Navy have deployed the munitions against Houthi drones in the Red Sea, while a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet has also been spotted with the rockets to intercept Russian drones, according to a December 2025 Militarnyi report.
These create “substantial manufacturing and business potential, which is why we believe this project is well worth pursuing,” said Adam Leszkiewicz, President of the Management Board of PGZ.
