Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak signed a deal on Friday (September 16) to purchase 48 South Korean FA-50 fighter jets for Polish Armed Forces. "New perspectives are opening before Polish Armed Forces; it's a generational leap," Błaszczak said. The FA-50 is a light combat aircraft developed by Korea Aerospace Industries with Lockheed Martin.
At an official ceremony held on Friday in the 23rd Tactical Air Base in Mińsk Mazowiecki, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, in the presence of President Andrzej Duda, signed a contract to purchase 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea for Polish Armed Forces.
"This is yet another historic day on which new perspectives are opening before Polish Armed Forces," Błaszczak said during the ceremony.
The minister also stressed the new FA-50 aircraft would replace the old Soviet-made MIG-29s and called this switch "a generational leap". "48 FA-50 jets will be a significant strengthening of Polish Air Force," he added.
Poland's Armament Agency spokesperson Krzysztof Płatek informed that the purchase of South Korean fighter jets would cost Poland approx. 3 billion dollars.
Błaszczak: world peace through deterring of aggressors
Błaszczak pointed out that the Korean jets come from the same family of aircraft as American F-16s and F-35s. "An F-16 pilot feels like home inside an FA-50," he said.
"When purchasing modern weapons for the Polish army, we are driven by four criteria: the need, modernity, swiftness and guarantee of delivery, compability. All these criteria have been met thanks to our cooperation with South Korea," the deputy PM said.
He added that first Polish pilots would travel to South Korea in November, to practice on FA-50s.
"Our goal is strengthen Polish Air Force, and Polish Armed Forces in general, in order to deter aggressors. I'm certain this cooperation will bring peace to the world. Our goal is maintain peace in the world by deterring aggressors," Błaszczak underscored.
Duda: end of relying on Soviet MIGs
President Andrzej Duda said the purchase of FA-50s would allow Polish Armed Forces to quit relying on Soviet-era MIG-29s and Su-22s.
He added that Polish pilots would eventually be flying only the wide selection of Lockheed Martin aircraft, including F-16s, F-35s and the newly purchased FA-50s - all of which were produced in cooperation with the American corporation.
"We are planning this moment to finally come in 2028, when the two deals agreed by the prime minister (Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak - edit.) will be fully carried out. By then, the 48 FA-50 fighter jets will be already protecting our Polish airspace," the president stressed.
He also assured that the purchase of FA-50s was definitely not the last strengthening of Polish Air Force.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP