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First Polish Air Force F-35 ‘Husarz’ unveiled
August 30, 2024 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
On Aug, 28, 2024, the first Polish Air Force F-35A, designated AZ-01, was officially unveiled during a roll-out ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facilities, Texas. This aircraft entered production in April 2023.
The first aircraft (AZ-01) will initially be based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, where Poland will be the first international customer to conduct F-35 pilot training. The first F-35s are expected to arrive in Poland in 2026, with the remainder of the fleet to be delivered by 2030. Those will all be stationed at Łask AB in central Poland.
General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the Polish Armed Forces’ General Staff, announced the traditional white-and-red checkerboard symbol would not appear on Polish F-35s, as the gray-toned version would enhance the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, even though almost all the most recent F-35 operators, like the Danish Air Force and the Belgian Air Force, have all opted for colorful roundels and national flags.
On September 11, 2019, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 32 F-35 fifth-generation jets to Poland at a cost of USD 6.5 billion, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announcement. Poland opted for the F-35A CTOL (Conventional Take-Off and Landing) variant to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-22 fleets.
In January 2020, a contract was signed for the procurement of 32 5th generation aircraft, with first delivery expected in 2024.
Along with the aircraft, Poland has also acquired various weapon systems for the F-35, including AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and “several hundreds” AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State and Congress have approved further procurements, such as AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missiles and AARGM-ER anti-radiation missiles.
F-35s are now operating from 32 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,000 F-35s, trained more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 889,000 cumulative flight hours.
The F-35A will be known as the “Husarz” in Polish service, referencing the famed Polish “winged” hussar cavalrymen first formed in the Kingdom of Poland at the beginning of the 16th Century.
The first Polish Air Force F-35A [Photo by Lockheed Martin]
General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the Polish Armed Forces’ General Staff, announced the traditional white-and-red checkerboard symbol would not appear on Polish F-35s, as the gray-toned version would enhance the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, even though almost all the most recent F-35 operators, like the Danish Air Force and the Belgian Air Force, have all opted for colorful roundels and national flags.
On September 11, 2019, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 32 F-35 fifth-generation jets to Poland at a cost of USD 6.5 billion, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announcement. Poland opted for the F-35A CTOL (Conventional Take-Off and Landing) variant to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-22 fleets.
In January 2020, a contract was signed for the procurement of 32 5th generation aircraft, with first delivery expected in 2024.
Along with the aircraft, Poland has also acquired various weapon systems for the F-35, including AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and “several hundreds” AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State and Congress have approved further procurements, such as AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missiles and AARGM-ER anti-radiation missiles.
F-35s are now operating from 32 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,000 F-35s, trained more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 889,000 cumulative flight hours.
The F-35A will be known as the “Husarz” in Polish service, referencing the famed Polish “winged” hussar cavalrymen first formed in the Kingdom of Poland at the beginning of the 16th Century.
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Additional images:
A hussar reenactor with a Polish F-35 [Art work by Lockheed Martin]
A hussar reenactor with a Polish F-35 [Art work by Lockheed Martin]