Poland has sharply accelerated the modernisation of its armed forces since Russia's full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022.

"This is the landmark purchase by Poland for its armed forces of... 96 state-of-the-art AH-64E Apache attack helicopters," Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.

"Today we are taking a milestone in the transformation and equipping of the army," he added, speaking at the Inowroclaw air base where the Apaches are to be stationed.

The deal is the latest in a string of contracts signed by Poland with the United States in recent days.

On Friday, Warsaw announced a deal to buy hundreds of AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. On Monay there was a contract to build 48 launchers for the US-designed Patriot air defence systems.

- 'Insurance of our freedom' -

Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, has announced it would spend more than four percent of its annual economic output on defence this year -- twice NATO's target of two percent.

The Ukraine war has also solidified the relationship between the United States and Poland, a country on NATO's eastern flank that sees Washington as one of its main allies.

The Apache helicopter sale was approved last year by the US State Department and Congress.

The deal "changes the face of the Polish army's operations and complements" previous purchases, Kosiniak-Kamysz said, pointing notably at the Abrams tanks that Poland bought in the past years.

According to the Polish government, the Apaches are designed to work with the Abrams.

"For the Abrams, the Apache is an essential element," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

In 2022, Poland bought 250 Abrams in a modern M1A2 variant, which are expected to be delivered later this year. It will be the first country outside the United States with the tanks.

The attack helicopter agreement also envisages providing the Polish army with maintenance equipment, technical and training support, flight simulators, and spare parts.

"Offset, purchase, leasing, pilot training, technology, armament -- it was all negotiated together. It's a historic day for helicopter aviation," deputy defence minister Pawel Bejda said.

"These 10 billion dollars are the insurance of our country, the insurance of our freedom," Bejda added, saying that the Apaches would serve the Polish efforts to "deter those who have evil intentions".

The first US-made helicopters are to be delivered in 2028, but some Polish pilots have already begun training on the US-made helicopters.

The Apaches will replace outdated Russian Mi-24 helicopters.

mmp/tw

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