Poland is moving forward with plans to establish domestic manufacturing capabilities for 70mm Hydra unguided rockets through a partnership involving General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Paramount Enterprises International. Under a newly signed agreement with Polish Armaments Group’s Nitro-Chem, the Polish facility in Bydgoszcz will initially begin assembling Hydra rockets using components supplied by General Dynamics.
The first phase of the initiative is expected to pave the way for a broader local production and logistics hub that would integrate Poland’s domestic supply chain. The effort is aimed at ensuring a more secure and reliable supply of 70mm Hydra rockets for the Polish Armed Forces’ AH-64 Apache helicopter fleet, particularly during periods of operational crisis or supply chain disruption.
Beyond meeting national military requirements, the proposed production hub could also support demand from allied nations, potentially positioning Poland as a regional supplier of Hydra rocket systems. The project forms part of Warsaw’s broader defense industrial cooperation with the United States aimed at strengthening local sustainment and manufacturing capabilities.
The collaboration follows earlier US-Poland defense agreements linked to the Apache program. In March, Lockheed Martin partnered with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 1 to support sustainment of critical Apache systems at a facility in Łódź, including the helicopter’s electro-optical sensor suite and fire-control radar systems.
Manufactured by General Dynamics, the 70mm Hydra rockets can be integrated with BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), transforming the unguided rockets into low-cost laser-guided precision munitions suitable for counter-drone and precision-strike missions. The US military has tested APKWS-equipped rockets on multiple platforms, including the Apache helicopter, F-15E Strike Eagle, and MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aircraft.
Operational deployments have also expanded in recent years. The US Air Force and US Navy have reportedly used APKWS-guided rockets against Houthi drones in the Red Sea, while reports in late 2025 indicated that Ukrainian F-16 fighter aircraft had been equipped with the rockets for intercepting Russian unmanned aerial threats.
