GE Aerospace signs Polish MRO deal for T700 and CT7 helicopter engines

GE Aerospace has signed an agreement with the Polish aerospace company WZL-1 covering maintenance, repair and overhaul of helicopter engines.

The deal takes in the T700 and CT7 turboshaft families, which power rotorcraft including the Boeing AH-64 Apache, the Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk, and Leonardo's AW149 and AW101, according to GE Aerospace.

The work will be performed at WZL-1's facility in Deblin. WZL-1, formally known as Military Aviation Works No. 1, is carrying out the MRO activity as part of commitments to localise industrial work linked to Poland's order for 96 Apaches.

WZL-1 chief executive Jacek Goszczynski said the agreement marks a significant step in building Poland's own capacity to support the two engine families. The skills developed through the partnership would allow the company to sustain the long-term readiness of the AH-64E Apache fleet and other platforms flown by the Polish armed forces, he said, adding that it also supports national security and the country's defence industrial base.

The announcement follows other industrial cooperation agreements tied to the Apache purchase. In August, Boeing signed accords with Polish parties including WZL-1, and in March Lockheed Martin and WZL-1 reached a separate agreement covering local MRO support for the AH-64E's sensors.