3rd Eskadra Lotnictwa Tactycznego ( PolAF)

The squadron was the first within the Polish Air Force to receive the Fighting Falcon. In 2006 the first aircraft started to roll off the production line at Fort Worth and started to arrive at Krzesiny AB. The squadron was flying the TS-11 training aircraft as a stop-gap between the Mig-21 who was phased out in 2003 already and the introduction of the F-16. The unit is mainly tasked with air defence, but since it was the first squadron to receive the F-16 it was also tasked with the conversion role. Therefore it received more D-models then the other squadron, being six instead of the normal three. The squadron still performs this conversion training up until today.

Although the buildup of the F-16 was very smooth and the aircraft is by far the most modern in the Polis inventory, the F-16 was never operationally deployed till today. The international name for the F-16 is Fighting Falcon, but Poland is one of those countries who has dedicated a local name to it. It is known as 'Jastrząb'.

PolAF F-16C block 52 #4042 from 3 elt is touching down on the runway at Poznan-Krzesiny AB in March of 2007. [Photo by Sebastian Elijasz]

• 1954: Activation of the squadron in Krzesiny (as 62 PSTLM)
• 1954: Lim-1 (Mig-15)
• 1954: Lim-2 (Mig-15)
• 1957: Lim-5 (Mig-17)
• 1958: Mig-19 (as 62 PLM)
• 1962: Mig-21PFM
• 1991: Mig-21PFM (as 3 FAR)
• 1998: Mig-21MF
• 2001: Mig-21MF (as 3 ELT, part of 2 BLT)
• 2003: TS-11 'Iskra'
• 2006: F-16C/D 'Fighting Falcon'
• 2007: F-16C/D 'Fighting Falcon' (part of 31 BLT)

• All 3 ELT F-16s in our F-16 Aircraft Database (past and current aircraft)
• Current 3 ELT F-16s in our F-16 Aircraft Database