Boeing Company (BA) is having quite the month. The aerospace giant just landed a massive $4.7 billion contract to build 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters for Poland under a U.S. Army Foreign Military Sales agreement, and it's worth paying attention to the scale here.
This isn't just another defense deal. Poland's order represents the largest Apache purchase by any country outside the United States in the entire history of the program. That's a pretty big deal for Boeing's defense division, which has been stacking wins lately.
Building Europe's Apache Fleet
Poland isn't starting from scratch with these attack helicopters. The country currently leases eight AH-64E helicopters from the U.S. Army and has already begun training pilots and maintainers. Deliveries of the new fleet are expected to kick off in 2028, and once complete, Poland will operate one of the most formidable Apache fleets anywhere in the world.
Christina Upah, vice president of Boeing's Attack Helicopter Programs, put it plainly: "This important agreement allows us to begin building one of the largest and most formidable Apache fleets that the world has ever seen."
She added, "Working closely with the Polish Armed Forces, we're focused on disciplined execution to help enhance Poland's defense capabilities and keep up with the strong demand for the most advanced attack helicopter."
A Month of Major Wins
The Poland contract is just the latest in what's been a remarkable November for Boeing (BA). Earlier this week, the company secured massive contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense worth around $7 billion. That's serious money flowing into Boeing's pipeline.
But it's not just military contracts. Boeing has also been racking up significant commercial aviation deals with Gulf carriers this month. Emirates placed its third order for Boeing's 777X aircraft, this time for 65 of the 777-9 passenger jets. Gulf Air finalized a deal for 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for three additional aircraft. And the UAE-based low-cost carrier flydubai signed a Memorandum of Understanding for its fourth 737 MAX fleet.
After years of turbulence, production issues, and reputational challenges, Boeing appears to be finding its footing again with a steady drumbeat of major contract wins spanning both defense and commercial aviation.
Price Action: BA shares traded up 0.63% at $188.08 in premarket trading on Friday.
