On Saturday, April 11, 2026, the 1st Army Aviation Brigade (1st BLWL) published a video on social media showing the first solo flight by a Polish crew on a Boeing AH-64D Apache attack helicopter.
Video: 1. BLWL
“The first solo flight by a Polish crew on an AH-64D Apache helicopter is another step in building modern combat capabilities. Behind this success are months of intensive training and the steady improvement of the pilots’ skills,” reads the caption accompanying the published video.
Until now, training flights at the 56th Air Base in Inowrocław had been carried out by mixed Polish-American crews. On March 10 this year, the unit received the eighth and final AH-64D Apache helicopter leased from the United States.
Deliveries of the first helicopters began on June 17, 2025, under an agreement signed on February 27 of last year, worth approximately 300 million USD (1.184 billion PLN), which also covers operation and training processes for Polish Armed Forces personnel during the lease period. Transition Echo to Delta pilot training began on July 10 of last year with the first flight by a Polish-American crew, supported by U.S. Army Technical Assistance Field Teams (TAFT). As early as July 25, the completion of the first stage of training was announced.
Photo: 56th Aviation Base
While the number of helicopters delivered in June was not initially disclosed, on September 25 of last year, during a meeting of the standing subcommittee on the Polish defense industry and the technical modernization of the Polish Armed Forces within the Sejm National Defence Committee, it was confirmed that four aircraft had been delivered so far and that deliveries were to be completed by the end of 2025. Then, on October 30, another pair arrived, bringing the total to six. However, the deadline for delivery of all helicopters by the end of 2025 was not met. The seventh aircraft was delivered on January 19 this year.
Meanwhile, on January 16 this year, Deputy Minister of National Defence Stanisław Wziątek took part in the inauguration of an NCO course for candidates for AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopter pilots at the Polish Air Force University in Dęblin. It covers the first group of 10 soldiers and consists of 500 hours of training over two years, including simulator screening, theoretical instruction, and flights on Robinson R44 helicopters. This will be followed by training in the United Kingdom and the United States on the target type, of which Poland has ordered 96 aircraft for delivery in 2028–2032.
Training abroad results from the lack of a suitable training helicopter in Poland. The Armament Agency is only now planning to acquire 24 training and combat helicopters, and the contract is to be financed through a SAFE loan.
In the meantime, the AH-64Ds in Poland will serve pilots and aviation engineering personnel until 2028, when the lease agreement expires.
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