Polish Pilot Completes First F-35A Flight as Warsaw Awaits 32 Jets in $4.6 Billion Deal
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 20
Polish Pilot Completes First F-35A Flight as Warsaw Awaits 32 Jets in $4.6 Billion Deal
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 20
A Polish pilot has completed the first flight on Poland’s new F-35A, marking a key step before the country receives its first jets in Poland, expected “very, very soon,” Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski said.
The milestone follows training that began in the United States in 2024, while Lask’s 32nd Tactical Air Base upgrades hangars, maintenance systems and classified facilities needed to operate the fifth-generation aircraft.
Poland ordered 32 F-35As from Lockheed Martin in a $4.6 billion 2020 deal, and base commander Krzysztof Duda said the transition requires years of coordination; pilot training alone costs about $55 million per aviator.
At Lask, U.S. and Polish personnel already train and operate together, underscoring Warsaw’s deepening defense ties with Washington as Poland boosts military spending and hosts American forces on NATO’s eastern flank.
Polish officers say the buildup is driven by the threat from Russia, arguing that stronger airpower and interoperability are essential for deterrence after Moscow’s actions in Georgia, Crimea and Ukraine.
With US troop rotations paused, can Poland's new F-35 jets secure NATO's eastern flank alone?
Is Poland's huge F-35 investment a masterstroke for deterrence or a risky bet on a single ally?