Poland cancelled the purchase of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters due to a change in priorities

S-70i Black Hawk

The Polish Arms Manufacturing Group (PGZ) has officially stopped the procurement process for 32 S-70i Black Hawk multipurpose helicopters manufactured at the PZL Mielec plant, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The procurement procedure, which began in 2023 to equip the 6th Airborne Brigade, was canceled due to a change in the geopolitical situation and a review of the priorities of the Polish Armed Forces.

The representative of the agency for the purchase of weapons, Colonel Grzegorz Polak, explained that in a dynamically changing environment, it is necessary to optimize plans and focus on the more urgent needs of the army. As a result, the acquisition of 32 helicopters has been postponed in order to focus on other areas of development.

The purchase of S-70i helicopters, the export version of the Black Hawk, manufactured in Poland, was supposed to replenish the army's aviation fleet. However, Poland has also recently been expecting the delivery of 96 Apache AH-64D attack helicopters from Boeing, which will begin arriving in 2028 and replace the outdated Soviet Mi-24.

The decision to cancel the tender caused a different reaction: some experts consider it an attempt to restore order in the armaments, others express concern about the slowdown in the modernization of the army. In general, the cancellation of the deal reflects Poland's desire to adapt defense procurement to new challenges and financial opportunities.