It is done. Despite the general lack of consensus as to the validity of the decision to choose a new aircraft, in a few years Lockheed Martin's F-35A will appear on the Polish sky .
The official signing ceremony took place in Dęblin on January 31, 2020 and was held with the participation of the President of Poland Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak and the United States Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher. Other important people present were representatives of the command staff of the Polish Air Force, the United States Air Force (USAF) and representatives of the American company Lockheed Martin.
The Polish F-35A are to be equipped with Block 4 software, i.e. the latest, yet refined version. This is to ensure the elimination of all the infancy issues and ensure reliable functioning of the fighters. In addition, just like the Norwegian F-35s, Polish machines will be equipped (as is the case with our F-16s) with a braking parachute shortening the landing distance.
The 4.6 billion USD worth contract includes the supply of 32 aircraft, one spare engine, and a logistics and training package. After taking into account the VAT tax accounted for the value of military equipment supplied to the territory of the Republic of Poland, the value of the contract rises to 5.34 billion USD. The unit price of a single F-35A aircraft (including the engine) is 87.3 million USD net. The contract does not include the armaments, i.e. AMRAAM and Sidewinder missiles, as well as guided and conventional bombs, which must be purchased in a separate proceeding.
The first batch of 6 aircraft will initially be stationed in the US in 2024-2025, where pilots and technical support will undergo training. Thanks to this pilots will gain the status of instructors which will give the opportunity to train further pilots directly in Poland. The first machines are expected to appear in the Poland at the turn of 2025 and 2026. A second squadron is to be delivered in 2030.
Where will the Polish the F-35As be stationed has not been determined yet. It is known, however, that Poland needs to make significant preparations in the field of airport infrastructure, as American machines are much "softer" than aircraft that they are to partially replace, i.e. the MiG 29s and the Su 22s.
Sources: defence24.pl, wpolityce.pl, milmag.pl
