Poland will receive first South Korean FA-50 fighters under $3bn contract in summer

The Polish Air Force will receive its first F-50 fighters next summer. The contract with South Korean company KAI was signed last year.

Here's What We Know

Poland ordered K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery, K2 Black Panther tanks and FA-50 aircraft from the Republic of Korea in 2022. The first tanks and howitzers have already been delivered and the planes will arrive in Warsaw in August. The contract was signed in September 2022. This means that it will take only 11 months for production and delivery.

Poland has purchased 48 FA-50 Block 10 level aircraft. The first pair of South Korean fighters will arrive in the country in the summer. All others will be delivered by 2028. In comparison, Romania will not start receiving the F-35 Lightning II until after 2030, if the contract is signed this year or next year.

The amount of the deal between Poland and KAI was $3 billion. In the future, the European state plans to start local production of FA-50PL under license. These fighters will comply with the Block 20 level. In the future, all 48 FA-50 Block 10 aircraft will also be upgraded.

Source: Defence24