Poland is poised to receive its first F-35 Lightning II jets, as senior officials at Lockheed Martin have confirmed that the initial batch is expected to leave the Fort Worth, Texas, production plant in the upcoming summer months.

Gary North, Lockheed Martin’s Vice President for Customer Requirements, stated, “The first F-35s for Poland are expected to leave the factory this summer.

Between late 2024 and 2026, these planes will be used at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as initial trainers for Polish pilots.”

The procurement of 32 F-35 fighters at a cost of approximately $4.6 billion is proceeding on schedule, as echoed by the Polish Ministry of National Defense.

The F-35 deal, signed in January 2020, is a pivotal component of Poland’s strategic defense plan to retire its Soviet-era Sukhoi Su-22 and Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft.

This next-generation fifth-generation jet fighter is expected to complement Poland’s current fleet of F-16 C/D Block 52+ and FA-50 light attack aircraft.

With the F-35s set to arrive by 2026, Poland will become the first regional user of the Lockheed Martin-manufactured fighter, ahead of neighboring Czech Republic and Romania.

Lockheed Martin has experienced delays with the integration of the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) package, a series of software and hardware updates designed to boost the F-35’s computing performance.

CEO Jim Taiclet has informed reporters that the F-35s equipped with TR-3 capabilities, previously delayed for over a year, are not expected to be combat-ready until 2025.

However, the delivery schedule for Poland’s F-35s remains unaffected by these issues.

Concurrently, Poland has engaged in talks with Boeing regarding the potential acquisition of 32 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets.

If the deal goes through, Poland’s air force would receive a significant capability enhancement, as the F-15EX features two F110-GE-129 engines, a digital cockpit, electronic flight controls, and an AESA APG-82(V)1 active antenna radar.

This move is a response to evolving regional threats, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Warsaw has invested heavily in military hardware, including Abrams tanks, Apache combat helicopters, and HIMARS rocket launchers from the United States, as well as South Korean K2 tanks, Chunmoo rocket launchers, and K9 self-propelled howitzers.

The country’s Air Force Chief of Staff, General Ireneusz Nowak, has previously highlighted the need for an expanded fleet of ten fighter squadrons, equivalent to 160 aircraft, to adequately address the current threat level.

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– Poland receiving within weeks first F35-TR3 directly from texas industry , Army Recognition, 05/14/2024
– Poland plans to acquire two squadrons of Boeing F, Army Recognition, 05/14/2024
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– See aboard USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier with a checkered recent history, Yahoo News UK, 05/13/2024
– UK given stark warning over ‘negligible’ air defence systems, The Guardian, 05/12/2024