Military equipment for Poland from South Korea. Defence minister signs contracts

"Cooperation with South Korea will strengthen Polish Armed Forces, it is a chance for Polish and Korean military industry," Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Wednesday. He added the Korean FA-50 fighter jets would replace MiG-29 jets produced in the Soviet Union.

Błaszczak also said Poland was drawing conclusions from Russian attack on Ukraine. "We see that nowadays armoured warfare and artillery play a huge role on the battlefield. Hence the decision to stregthen those kinds of Armed Forces," he said, adding that Korean equipment was top-notch.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) CEO Hyunho Ahn told Polish Press Agency (PAP) that the 48 FA-50 aircraft was the company's largest single export order. He added Poland would be the first European country to use FA-50s and promised the planes would be delivered on time.

Hyunho Ahn also told PAP he saw the contract as a beginning of a strategic partnership between KAI and the governments of South Korea and Poland. He also said that in the future Poland could become an MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul - edit.) hub for future European FA-50 users.

Poland will buy 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft developed by Korea Aerospace Industries with Lockheed Martin. First 12 jets are to be delivered to Poland in mid-2023. The planes will be adjusted to the requirements of Polish Air Forces and fitted with IFF NATO identification system (Identification Friend or Foe - edit.).

When it comes to the K2 Black Panther tanks manufactured by Hyundai Rotem, the process will have two stages. In the first one, 180 vehicles will be delivered to Poland, with first tanks arriving already this year. The second stage assumes a delivery of more than 800 tanks and launching a production line in Poland in 2026.

Delivery of the first 48 K9 Thunder howitzers - designed and developed by the Agency for Defense Development and Samsung Aerospace Industries, and now manufactured by Hanwha Defense - is to begin already in 2022 in order to fill in for the equipment Poland handed over to Ukraine.

Further 600 howitzers are to be delivered starting in 2024, and by 2026 the K9 Thunders are to be manufactured in Poland. The South Korean equipment will be fitted with Polish communication systems and hooked to the Topaz ICMS system (Integrated Combat Management System).

"K2 tanks, K9 howitzers and FA-50 planes - Polish Army will get powerful armament, and Polish military industry a strong impulse for development," Poland's Ministry of National Defence said on Twitter.