Armed Forces
Polish F-35 Rolled Out. Warsaw Considers Purchase of More Aircraft
Photo. Maciej Szopa/Defence24.pl
Poland received its first F-35A Lightning II multirole aircraft during a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin production facilities. This is an important moment for the Polish Air Force and a step towards strengthening the security of our skies.
The ceremony, organised on the occasion of Polish Aviation Day, was attended by, among others, Deputy Ministers of Defence Paweł Bejda and Cezary Tomczyk, US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, Congressman Marc Veasey and Senator John Boozman. Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Bejda said: »Today is a special day. (…) It is another milestone in the transformation of the Polish military. It is a transformation into a perfectly equipped, perfectly trained and perfectly commanded military.«
Minister Pawel Bejda also announced that Poland is considering the purchase of more combat aircraft and plans to further modernise its air fleet. He also encouraged the US defence industry to invest more heavily in Poland.
NOTE: Deputy MoD of #Poland @pawelbejda signals that the country is considering a purchase of more fighter jets. Earlier he invited US defence companies to invest more in Poland, as there are no limits. Coincidence? Don't think so. cc @RealCynicalFox @Bjoern__M @AlexLuck9 https://t.co/z9H3fWh8n8
— Jakub Palowski (@JakubPalowski) August 28, 2024
’For more than 100 years, the Polish Air Force has had many generations of pilots and aircraft. Today, I am proud to be part of history by introducing the F-35, a new generation that will protect Poland for many years to come. We are joining a strong coalition of fifth-generation fighters in Europe,« - said Major General Ireneusz Nowak, Inspector of the Air Force.
The first two F-35 will be used to train pilots in the United States, at the US Luke Air Force Base, after which they will arrive in the country. It is tentatively expected that the first aircraft will arrive in Poland between 2025 and 2026. Full readiness of both squadrons, equipped with 32 aircraft, will be reached by 2030, while initial operational capability will be announced in 2028. Earlier planning calls for a purchase of two further squadrons but both more F-35A and air superiority aircraft such as F-15EX or Eurofighter were reportedly under consideration.