WARSAW, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Poland's defence ministry

signed offset deals with Boeing ( BA ) and General Electric ( GE )

worth nearly 1 billion zlotys ($255 million) on Monday,

bringing it closer to finalising a $12 billion agreement to buy

96 AH-64E Apache helicopters.

Offset deals are designed to compensate the country buying

arms from abroad through cooperation between the supplier and

domestic companies.

"The Polish Army is about to acquire these helicopters,

which will really strengthen our readiness, our security in the

face of what is happening beyond the borders of the Republic of

Poland, I mean the war in Ukraine," said deputy defence minister

Pawel Bejda.

The offset agreement with Boeing ( BA ) worth 400 million zlotys

($102 million) will cover maintenance support for the

helicopters and AH-64E maintenance training.

The deal with General Electric ( GE ) worth 530 million zlotys

($135 million) will focus on engine support for the Apaches and

for power units in other Polish military helicopters.

The agreements are part of Poland's offset strategy related

to the purchase of Apache helicopters, dating from September

2022 when it announced plans to buy 96 of the aircraft.

In August 2023 the U.S. approved the sale of 96 AH-64E

Apaches and related equipment to Poland for about $12 billion.

Later that year, Poland secured its first offset agreements

with Lockheed Martin ( LMT ), enabling domestic firms to service

and repair radars and missile guidance systems in the AH-64E.