ŁASK, Poland — In a historic upgrade to NATO’s eastern frontline, the Republic of Poland is set to officially unveil its first three F-35A Lightning II aircraft during an induction ceremony on June 12.
The advanced 5th-generation fighters arrived in the country last month on May 22, marking a major milestone in the modernization of the nation’s air defenses. As a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer, these represent the first in-country deliveries of the F-35 platform to the Polish armed forces.
"Arrival of these first three F-35As in Poland marks a historic milestone for both the F-35 enterprise and our Polish partners,” said Lt. Gen. Masiello, program executive officer of F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). “By fielding world-leading advanced 5th-generation fighter capabilities, Poland significantly strengthens integrated air defenses, ensuring seamless interoperability between Polish, U.S. and allied forces.”
Poland joins a growing group of FMS customers operating the F-35 from home soil, further expanding the aircraft’s presence across the continent as part of a broader shift toward integrated allied airpower.
This delivery establishes Poland as the first nation on NATO's eastern flank to field the advanced fighter jets, significantly bolstering the alliance’s integrated air defenses. The F-35 serves as the cornerstone of Poland’s long-term defense strategy and further strengthens U.S.-European alliances.
"This successful delivery represents the culmination of rigorous coordination, commitment and a deep partnership between our nations,” said Masiello. “Delivering these aircraft serves as testament to joint enterprise dedication. We are fully invested in long-term sustainment, pilot training and combat readiness within Polish fleets to support global security."
The F-35A, a conventional takeoff and landing variant of aircraft, is designed to provide unmatched stealth, situational awareness, survivability and interoperability with allied international forces. Equipped with advanced sensors and data-sharing capabilities, the aircraft enables pilots to detect, track and engage threats across multiple domains.
The arrival of the F-35As, which Poland’s military has named "Husarz" in homage to the country's historic winged hussar heavy cavalry units, represents the latest step in modernizing Poland’s military aircraft to advanced 5th-generation fighter capabilities. Poland is replacing its retired Soviet-era fleet, largely transferred to Ukraine, with a modern force mix of 4th-generation F-16s and 5th-generation F-35As.
While this first delivery marks a major milestone, additional aircraft, pilot training and capability development efforts are expected as Poland continues to build its F-35 fleet. The F-35 JPO will continue delivering the remaining 29 aircraft in phased rollouts annually, with the entire fleet scheduled to be in service by 2030.
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