Second Polish F-35A Completes Maiden Flight in Italy

In July of this year, the first Polish F-35A (no. 3517) completed its maiden flight at the Italian facility in Cameri (Northern Italy, near Milan). A test flight of the second aircraft produced there for the Polish Air Force has just been confirmed. In total, 18 aircraft destined for Polish aviation have already completed their first flights (this is the number of machines expected to be in Poland by the end of this year).

In 2020, Poland ordered 32 F-35 aircraft manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin. The contract is worth 4.6 billion dollars, and all deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2029. In May, the first “Husars” appeared over the Vistula. There are currently eight such machines in the country.

There is a high probability that Poland will not stop at acquiring 32 aircraft. The Technical Modernisation Plan for the Polish Armed Forces for the years 2025-2039 does not rule out the possibility of purchasing further aircraft. Ultimately, the Polish Air Force could have 64 F-35A aircraft. The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multi-role aircraft utilising stealth technology.