Poland has officially put the first new-generation F-35 fighters purchased from the United States on combat duty as part of the country's large-scale program for the modernization and rearmament of the armed forces, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported, quoted by DPA, BTA reports.
During a ceremony held at the Lask Air Base near Lodz, Polish President Karol Nawrocki said that with the introduction of the new fighter jets, the country will have a higher level of security and stronger defense capabilities in the coming years.
Before the official ceremony, the multi-role stealth fighters performed demonstration flights over several of Poland's largest cities, including Gdansk, Warsaw and Krakow.
The program to acquire the aircraft began in 2020, when Poland signed a contract with the United States for the purchase of 32 F-35A fighter jets for a total of $4.6 billion. The aircraft are part of the fifth-generation combat aircraft and are expected to be delivered in stages by 2029.
Karol Nawrocki and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kościńska-Kamiś described the deal as evidence of the close relations and strategic cooperation between Poland and the United States, PAP reports.
On the American side, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas Dinano announced that Washington would provide Poland with a loan of $4 billion under the Foreign Armed Forces Financing Program.
The Polish authorities emphasize that the country, as a country on the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union, perceives Russia as the main threat to its security. It is for this reason that Warsaw is implementing an accelerated program to modernize the army, including the acquisition of a large number of fighter jets, tanks and other military equipment.
The goal of the Polish leadership is to build the largest conventional army in the European Union. As part of this process, the Polish Navy is expected to receive Swedish-made submarines in the near future.