US aerospace giant Boeing is aggressively marketing its air superiority fighter, the F-15EX, as Poland’s Ministry of National Defence advances plans to acquire up to 32 new fighter jets. To attract Poland, Boeing is emphasising the F-15EX’s payload, range and speed, while backing its offer with an attractive industrial cooperation package and a state-of-the-art MQ-28 Ghost Bat loyalist wingman-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
A Powerful Package with F-15EX and MQ-28 Ghost Bat
Boeing is presenting the F-15EX not only as a fighter jet, but also as a long-term partnership with Poland’s defence industry. The company held meetings with potential Polish industry partners to discuss areas of cooperation and held a “Boeing Industry Day” event in Warsaw on 29 October. The talks cover the fighter jet proposal as well as other Boeing programmes such as the KC-46 tanker aircraft.
Marissa Myers, senior manager for business development at Boeing, said the company is looking for partners specialised in areas such as production, service, research and development, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. Emphasising that Poland already has MRO capabilities, Myers said, “We have several MOUs signed with various companies. We also have partnerships with local universities. I hope we can get a few more partnerships out of this,” he said.
Adding a strategic dimension to its offer, Boeing announced that it has begun initial discussions with Poland on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat UAV, described as “the most advanced and mature cooperative fighter aircraft on the market”. By accompanying manned fighter jets, this UAV offers a critical capability for future air operations.
Poland’s Aircraft Procurement Options and Boeing’s Growing Presence
The F-15EX is not the only option for Poland’s 32-aircraft purchase plan. In addition to the current order for 32 F-35s, Warsaw is also considering purchasing 32 more fifth-generation aircraft or opting for the Eurofighter Typhoon, the European air superiority aircraft, a jet produced by the consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.
Boeing has recently significantly intensified its efforts to do more business in Poland. These efforts have gained momentum with the signing of a major contract worth around $10 billion to supply 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the Polish army by 2024. This was followed by another $300 million contract signed in February, under which the Ministry of National Defence leased eight Boeing AH-64D helicopters from the US. These successive deals show that Boeing is consolidating its strategic presence in the Polish defence sector, and the F-15EX offer is an extension of this strong relationship.
