Poland Flight Testing FA-50 Fighter

Poland has begun flight testing its first Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 fighter following delivery of the initial two aircraft in-country last month. 

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced Aug. 3 that the flights were being conducted by South Korean and Polish pilots ahead of a planned debut in a flypast over Warsaw planned for Aug. 15. 

The two aircraft form part of the 12-strong batch of FA-50GF (gap filler) aircraft that are being delivered from an order diverted from the South Korean Air Force in response to a broader order placed by Poland in the summer of 2022 that also includes hundreds of main battle tanks, rockets, and howitzer artillery systems. All 12 of the gap filler aircraft are due to be delivered by year’s end. 

At the same time, Leonardo Helicopters also has begun flying the first of 32 AW149 battlefield utility helicopters destined for Poland from an order placed last July.

The first aircraft was noted by aviation enthusiasts flying in Italy, where Leonardo is assembling the first four that will be delivered this year. The remainder will be built in Poland by Leonardo Helicopters affiliate PZL-Swidnik. 

Warsaw also has placed a 400 million Polish zloty ($99 million) order for several hundred Rafael Spike-LR anti-tank guided missiles from Polish firm Mesko, which manufactures the weapon under license. It is the third such order placed with Mesko for the weapon since 2004. 

Deliveries are planned from this year through 2026 and are helping to bolster Polish stocks of the weapon, which are used to equip ground vehicles. 

The milestones emerged after Belarus violated Polish airspace with two low-altitude helicopters. Online pictures showed an Mi-17 Hip transport helicopter and an Mi-24/25 Hind gunship operating in Polish airspace near Białowieża on Aug. 1. 

Warsaw sent reinforcements to the area, including attack helicopters, due to concerns about more provocations by Belarus. Błaszczak has said the regrouping of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in Belarus “poses a real threat to Polish security.” Many Wagner personnel are experienced in hybrid warfare. 

The 12 FA-50GFs will be followed by the delivery of 36 more advanced FA-50PLs. They include additional weapon integrations and longer operational range through newly developed external fuel tanks, updated avionics, and Raytheon’s PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array radar.

The FA-50GFs later will be converted to the FA-50PL standard. The FA-50 was selected in part because of the type’s compatibility with Poland’s existing F-16C/D Block 50 fleet and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which Poland is due to take delivery of in 2024.  

The $3 billion Polish order marks Korea Aerospace Industries’ first sale of the FA-50/T-50 family of aircraft in Europe. Once in service, the FA-50 will replace Poland’s Soviet-era fleets of Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters and Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrums.