Poland Seeks F-35A for Fleet Modernisation, Stealth Jets to Replace MiG-29 and Su-22

Poland’s armed forces have continued to show considerable interest in acquiring Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth generation fighters from the United Stares, with reports of Warsaw's intention to purchase the aircraft coming as Pentagon officials in the United States themselves advocate expansion of the program to include more clients. Pentagon official reportedly told the U.S. Congress that there were plans to expand F-35 sales to a number of European states including Poland. The Polish Air Force currently operates three fighter types including the MiG-29 medium weight multirole fighter, F-16C light single engine multiple fighter and Su-22 strike fighter. Seven squadrons are currently deployed, including three of the F-16 and two each of the MiG-29 and Su-22M-4 - meaning that to completely phase out the Soviet built jets Poland would need to acquire enough F-35A fighters to comprise four full squadrons. F-16 fighters were delivered in the early 2000s, and are today Poland’s most capable combat jets due to its lack of investment in modernisation of or more capable munitions for the Soviet built MiG and Sukhoi jets. F-16 fighters have been equipped with AIM-120C air to air missiles, providing a formidable beyond visual range air to air capability. As Poland seeks to retire remaining Soviet hardware in favour of Western platforms, it reportedly plans to retire both the MiG-29 and the Su-22 in favour of the F-35A. The newer American jet is a fifth generation analogue to the fourth generation F-16, with both designed with an unspecialised multirole airframe, light weight and single engine.  

Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak recently stated regarding the potential for an F-35 acquisition that he was hoping to accelerate talks with the United States on the purchase, announcing:  "I've spoken on the issue with my U.S. counterpart Patrick Shanahan and the producer, Lockheed Martin. This will take several years, but we're on a good path to accelerating the process.” This reportedly came as part of a planned $48.5 billion investment in new weapons and equipment which would be acquired by 2026. 32 F-35A jets are reportedly planned. Announcements regarding planned Polish acquisitions followed a visit to the country by the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, who said a demonstration team would be sent to Poland next month to demonstrate the capabilities of the next generation fighter. Although the F-35 carries less missiles and is slower and restricted to lower altitudes than the MiG-29A, its electronics, sensors and armaments are overwhelming superior and it benefits from radar evading stealth capabilities which further enhance its survivability. While most U.S. fighters such as the F-16 lack infra red search and track systems, which are a prominent feature on the MiG-29, these are integrated onto the F-35 to complement its powerful active electronically scanned array radar and allow it to operate without a radar signature. As neighbouring Belarus moves to modernise its own fleet with elite Su-30SM air superiority fighters, and the heavily militarised Russian province of Kaliningrad on Poland's northern border is expected to deploy more capable air superiority jets of its own such as the Su-27SM3 and Su-35, acquisition of the F-35A is increasingly viewed as a necessary measure to allow the Polish Air Force to contest air superiority in the event of a potential war in the European theatre - with the three jets currently in its inventory outmatched considerably by the Russian built Su-27 and Su-30.