WARSAW, POLAND — GE Aerospace and Poland’s Military Aviation Works No. 1 (WZL-1) have finalized an agreement to establish licensed maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for T700 and CT7 engines at WZL-1’s facility in Dęblin.
Support for Multiple Polish Helicopter Fleets
The new MRO center will support engines used by several helicopters operated by the Polish Armed Forces, including the Boeing AH-64E Apache, Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk, Leonardo AW149 and AW101.
The agreement will give Poland domestic maintenance capabilities for engines shared across several of its military helicopter fleets.
Linked to Poland’s Apache Procurement
The agreement is the third and final offset deal connected to Poland’s purchase of 96 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters.
The 2024 Apache procurement includes 210 T700-GE-701D engines, with 192 engines installed on the helicopters and 18 provided as spares. Apache deliveries are planned to begin in 2028 and continue through 2032.
Once delivered, Poland will become the largest Apache operator outside the United States.
Training and Local Industrial Capability
WZL-1 Chief Executive Jacek A. Goszczyński said the agreement is an important step toward developing Poland’s sovereign MRO capabilities for T700 and CT7 engines. He said the skills developed through the partnership will support the long-term readiness of the Apache fleet and other Polish military platforms.
Shawn Warren, GE Aerospace’s Vice President for Defense & Systems, said WZL-1 has a strong reputation for engine maintenance in Poland. He said the agreement will allow the Apache fleet and other T700- and CT7-powered helicopters to receive support from a licensed MRO provider.
The broader cooperation also includes training through the Military University of Technology (WAT) in Warsaw, which is involved in training Polish technicians, military personnel and WZL-1 employees on T700 and CT7 engines.
WZL-1 Expanding Its Defense Maintenance Role
WZL-1, a subsidiary of the state-owned Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), already supports several military programs in Poland. Its work includes AH-64E-related support, Apache sensors and Longbow radar, as well as the AGT1500 tank engine program for Poland’s Abrams tanks.
PGZ President Adam Leszkiewicz said the cooperation with U.S. industry will create highly skilled jobs, strengthen local engineering capabilities and support regional industrial hubs.
Reports have put the value of the engine-related offset work at around 500–550 million zloty, covering equipment, licensing rights and staff training for depot-level maintenance.
T700/CT7 Global Use
The T700/CT7 engine family powers 15 types of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. GE Aerospace says more than 25,000 engines have been delivered worldwide and have accumulated more than 130 million flight hours.
In Europe, more than 1,300 T700/CT7 engines have been delivered or are on order for around 20 military and commercial customers.
The Dęblin agreement completes a key part of the industrial cooperation linked to Poland’s Apache program and expands the country’s ability to maintain T700- and CT7-powered helicopters domestically.
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