Defence & Space

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Poland: Tenders for Additional Engineering Equipment under the East Shield Initiative

The 2nd Regional Logistics Base has announced four tenders related to the acquisition of engineering and construction equipment for the Polish…

2025-06-02 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Karkonosze Program: A Game-Changer for the Polish Air Force’s Tankers?

The Polish Air Force has been requesting the acquisition of aerial refueling tankers for years. The program to procure a multi-role transport…

2025-05-23 | Sławek Zagórski | 5 minutes

Swedish A26 Submarine and Poland’s Orka Program

In early April, Saab organized a visit for representatives of the Polish defense media to the Saab Kockums shipyard, located in Karlskrona…

2025-05-08 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 16 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. established

New subsidiary Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. complements Rheinmetall’s plant engineering expertise in planning, setting-up and operating of production…

2025-06-02 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations at AOC Europe

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems, sensor fusion and signal analysis solutions, designed to meet the evolving…

2025-05-12 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Iberian Blackout: Is Poland Prepared for a Similar Scenario?

The blackout on the Iberian Peninsula has prompted a few cautious questions about whether Poland is secure in the event of…

2025-05-02 | Krzysztof Zagórski | 6 minutes

IDET & PYROS 2025: KALAN Tracked Amphibious Vehicle as the Successor to the PTS

During the International Fire Fighting Equipment and Services Fair PYROS (held alongside IDET 2025 in Brno), the Czech company New…

2025-05-30 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Patria AMV XP 8×8 with TURRA 30 Turret

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2025 in the Czech Republic, Finnish company Patria Oyj showcased its…

2025-05-29 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. established

New subsidiary Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa (Pty) Ltd. complements Rheinmetall’s plant engineering expertise in planning, setting-up and operating of production…

2025-06-02 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

IDET & PYROS 2025: KALAN Tracked Amphibious Vehicle as the Successor to the PTS

During the International Fire Fighting Equipment and Services Fair PYROS (held alongside IDET 2025 in Brno), the Czech company New…

2025-05-30 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Leonardo and Weststar Join Forces to Supply Helicopters to Malaysia

During the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Italian company Leonardo and Malaysian firm Weststar…

2025-05-20 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Rheinmetall receives major international orders for 155mm artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has received two new orders for 155 mm ERFB artillery ammunition. International customer orders projectiles, propellants and…

2025-06-03 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Poland: Tenders for Additional Engineering Equipment under the East Shield Initiative

The 2nd Regional Logistics Base has announced four tenders related to the acquisition of engineering and construction equipment for the Polish…

2025-06-02 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Polish Minister of Defence Travels to the U.S. for Meeting with Pete Hegseth

A press conference was held at the 1st Airlift Base with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz…

2025-05-26 | Redakcja | 5 minutes

Another Meeting at the Polish Ministry of National Defence with a Delegation from South Korea’s DAPA

Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda met with Deputy Minister of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),…

2025-05-14 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Airbus, CNES and VAST reaffirm commitment to strengthening EO capabilities in Vietnam

Airbus Defence and Space, the French Space Agency, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have signed a Declaration of…

2025-05-26 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

ICEYE and IHI start cooperation to develop SAR satellite constellation in Japan

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Japanese IHI Corporation are beginning cooperation in the construction of a constellation of up to 24…

2025-05-22 | Redakcja | 3 minutes
Shooting

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Grand Power Showcases M4M1 Carbines for the Slovak Armed Forces

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2023 in the Czech Republic, Grand Power — a Slovak firearms manufacturer — showcased…

2025-05-28 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X and TLR-8 HL-X sub

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X flashlight with an integrated laser sight, producing a beam with up to 1,000 lumens of power, offering…

2025-03-18 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

Direct Action Spitfire Plate Carrier – Part 1: Testing the Carrier

Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of options in the gear and load-bearing equipment category. One of the most basic…

2025-05-08 | Michał Gaweł | 14 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025 starts on February 24th

Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers, experts from government agencies, and representatives of the…

2025-01-30 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

POLSECURE: Holsters HPE Poland offer for uniformed services

At the 3rd International Police and Public Security Fair POLSECURE 2024 in Kielce, Holsters HPE Poland presented its offer for…

2024-05-01 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

MSBS GROT BULLPUP conversion now available

Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” Radom is introducing long-awaited conversion kits for the MSBS GROT S16 FB-M1 and S10 FB-M1 semi-automatic rifles,…

2025-06-02 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IDET 2025: Grand Power Showcases M4M1 Carbines for the Slovak Armed Forces

At the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET 2023 in the Czech Republic, Grand Power — a Slovak firearms manufacturer — showcased…

2025-05-28 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Weapon light: a practical tool for everyday service. How to choose?

In the world of armed forces, where every second can determine the outcome of an operation, precision and effectiveness are…

2024-08-29 | Redakcja | 7 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel Rescuer Vest is the result of a collaboration between Polish companies Currahee and BC Arms. It was created in…

2025-05-16 | Mariusz Rams | 6 minutes

Direct Action Spitfire Plate Carrier – Part 1: Testing the Carrier

Nowadays, the market offers a wide range of options in the gear and load-bearing equipment category. One of the most basic…

2025-05-08 | Michał Gaweł | 14 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

Poland selects and announces future F-35 location

In recent weeks the head of the Polish Ministry of Defence, Mariusz Blaszczak, has announced the location of the future Polish F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter aircraft. The first squadron of F-35s will be stationed at the 32nd Tactical Air Base, in Łask, Central Poland. The base currently hosts a single squadron of Polish F-16C/D Block 50/52+ multirole fighter aircraft (while other two squadrons are based at the 31st Tactical Air Base, in Poznań-Krzesiny, Western Poland).

Central location of the F-35s

/ Photo by: Leszek Chemperek/CO MON

At the moment the Polish MoD does not foresee removing the single F-16 squadron from the Łask AFB. The base is considered as one of the most modern installations of this type in Poland, if even not the most modern. In recent years the base undergone modernization. Construction works included, e.g. extension of runways and taxiways. The modernization project was intended to prepare the base to host Polish and allied F-35 fighter aircraft.

/ Photo by: Leszek Chemperek/CO MON

‘The Łask Air Force Base is the most modern air base in Poland as well as one of the most modern in Europe. Two years ago modernisation works in this base were completed. Some of them prepared Łask for F-35 operations – longer runway, taxiways, and some other infrastructure parts. However, in order to better prepare the location to host the future Polish F-35s, further improvement of base infrastructure is required. This related especially to new hangars, maintenance facility, training centre with simulators, and more space for weapon storage, because eventually the number of aircraft stationed at Łask will increase twice. Also IT infrastructure in the base should be upgraded. F-35 needs much more effective data transfer systems, than F-16 – in combat missions, but also in service aspects.’ stated Grzegorz Sobczak, Editor-in-Chief of the MILMAG Defense&Space Magazine.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

After concluding the initial phase of the modernization project, the Łask AFB eventually reopened in 2019. In result, the location has been initially prepared to host the most modern multirole fighter aircraft, like the future Polish or allied F-35s.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

Although the Polish MoD currently states that the Łask base will host two aircraft platforms, that is the F-16s and F-35s, in reality the capacity of the base is relatively small. In other words, there’s not enough space for permanent stationing of both aircraft types. In result, the Łask AFB will most likely eventually become the base of the sole F-35 platform and the single F-16 will have to be removed to another location.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

What is the alternative?

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

There are a few other bases where one of Polish F-35s or F-16s squadrons could be based. The 33rd Transport Aviation Base in Powidz, which until lately was considered as the biggest Polish air base, currently is used by the Air Force in limited scope. However, the base was initially planned to support air transport and logistic operations, not the newest combat aircraft. On the other hand, during the recent ‘Rapid Forge’ multinational exercise in 2019, the Powidz AFB hosted for a short period of time the US F-35 aircraft. Therefore, it ability to become the permanent base of this type of aircraft was already confirmed.

Also the 21st Tactical Air Base in Świdwin, North-Western Poland, could host the future F-35s. Currently, the base is home to remaining Polish Su-22 fighter/bomber aircraft. However, the Polish MoD has already announced its plans to rebuild and modernize the Świdwin base, possibly also preparing it for hosting F-35s. The construction schedule more-less covers the F-35 delivery timeline to Poland. The location of the Świdwin AFB makes it, in theory, a good location for the F-35s due to operational and logistical aspects.

/ Photo by: Leszek Chemperek/CO MON

The 12th Air Base in Mirosławiec could also be an alternative to hosting the F-35 aircraft. Mirosławiec is the former base of the Su-22 aircraft, and currently it supports UAV operations. However, close proximity to Drawsko and Nadarzyce military ranges makes it a good location for temporary, provisional dislocation of F-35 aircraft for short-time operations.

Due to close distance to the border with Russia, the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork and 23rd Tactical Air Base in Mińsk Mazowiecki, which currently host the MiG-29 aircraft, do not seem as possible locations for permanent stationing of F-35s.

/ Photo by: Senior Airman Andrea Posey, USAF

Smooth selection of F-35s

/ Photo by: Leszek Chemperek/CO MON

The contract (Letter of Offer and Acceptance, LOA) for delivery of 32 F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter aircraft for the Polish Air Force was signed at the end of January 2020 during a ceremony held at the premises of the 4th Training Aviation Wing in Deblin. ‘The Polish Air Force enters a new phase of its development. We join the elite group of nations operating the F-35 aircraft, which is a peculiar command centre and distinguishes itself with its interoperability’, commented minister Blaszczak during the signing ceremony.

The contract has a value of $4,6 billion (€4,1 billion). It includes also logistical and training packages. ‘This is an incredibly important day for the Polish Air Force, for security of Poland, but also for the safety of our part of Europe’, said the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

As per to the logistical package included in the F-35 contract, it refers to the supply of spare and operational parts, operation management system and equipment for the maintenance personnel under the Global Support Solution (GSS) programme through to 2030.

/ Photo by: Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham

Whilst, the training package provides continued, complex training of pilots and maintenance personnel through a ground-based system. The project includes an integrated training centre and eight flight simulators.

Under the terms of the agreement, deliveries of F-35A fighter aircraft should commence in 2024 and run through to 2030. The contract states that each year Poland will receive a batch of 4-6 aircraft.

In 2024-2025 the first six Polish F-35s will be temporarily stationed on US soil. They will be used for initial training of future Polish pilots and maintenance personnel in one of US Air Force air bases. Subsequently, these aircraft should be transferred to Poland by 2025-2026.

The Polish MoD envisions, that the future F-35A fighter aircraft will reach their Initial Operational Capability (IOC) only after a number of requirements are met. These include: acceptance of the delivery of at least 8 fighters, training of a sufficient number of pilots and maintenance personnel as well as delivery of necessary spare and operational equipment.

/ Photo by: Leszek Chemperek/CO MON

Controversial selection process

Pic_10 / Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

The future Polish F-35A fighter aircraft were selected and procured under the ‘Harpia’ programme, which was announced and launched by the MoD in late 2018. Initially, the department informed that the country seeks to acquire a number of modern, multirole fighters, which will significantly enhance the operational and combat capabilities of the Polish Air Force.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

At that time it was expected that the selection of the future combat platform will be conducted through an open, international tender, with a number of foreign manufacturers placing their bids and presenting offers. A competitive selection process would allow the MoD the choose the best available fighter aircraft and negotiate a procurement agreement, which would secure country’s economic and industrial interests.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

However, eventually the Polish MoD announced in the Spring of 2019 its decision to select the US-manufactured F-35 fighter aircraft as the preferred platform for the ‘Harpia’ programme. Shortly after the governments of Poland and USA began discussions and negotiations, through which both sides worked out the final agreement on the sale of the aircraft.

/ Photo by: Grzegorz Sobczak

Replacement of obsolete equipment

The procurement of F-35 multirole fighters will enable the process of modernization of the Polish combat aircraft fleet and gradual phase out of the currently operated Soviet-era MiG-29 fighters and Su-22 bombers/fighters. Further use of these aircraft proves to be pointless, because of their obsolescence, due to which they no longer meet the requirements of the modern battlefield. Furthermore, the age and technical condition of most of the MiG-29s and Su-22s is so bad, that they present a serious threat to the pilots.

Therefore, in real terms, the future F-35s will actually fill the gap in the Polish Air Force’s combat aircraft fleet, since both ex-Soviet platforms have not been used operationally for a few years now, and it seems very unlikely that they will return to active service any time soon, if ever.

In result, the F-35s will support the fleet of 48 moderately modern F-16C/D Block 52+ multirole fighter aircraft, which were procured by Poland in early 2000’s.

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