Lockheed Martin presented Poland's first F-35A Lightning II to the Polish government during a rollout ceremony at Lockheed Martin's F-35 production facility. This event marks a significant milestone in the history of the Polish Air Force and strengthens the alliance between the United States and Poland, a key NATO ally.
"Over more than 100 years of the Polish Air Force, there have been many generations of pilots and aircraft. I am proud to be part of history today, introducing the F-35 as the next generation, which will protect and defend Poland's future for many years. We are joining a strong coalition of 5th generation fighters across Europe, bolstering air superiority through allied deterrence," said Major General Ireneusz Nowak, Inspector of Polish Air Force.
The F-35 is considered the most advanced 21st Century Security® solution and is the top choice of aircraft for NATO. Poland's investment in military modernization and increased participation in foreign missions will extend its strong leadership within NATO. Poland, along with several other NATO nations, is investing in the F-35 for allied deterrence. The F-35, named "Husarz" to honour a cavalry unit from Poland's military history, offers unmatched interoperability. The "Husarz" F-35s will enhance situational awareness for Poland and its key European partners by connecting assets across different domains.
"As the NATO aircraft of choice, the F-35 is a powerful force multiplier and critical to deterring and defeating threats for Poland and its allies," said Greg Ulmer, president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "We are honoured to strengthen our enduring partnership with Poland through today's celebration, ensuring Polish national security and long-term capability development for decades to come."
Senior government and military leaders from Poland and the United States attended a ceremony celebrating Poland's reception of its first of 32 F-35As as part of its procurement program. The first aircraft, named AZ-01, will be delivered to the Polish Air Force in December and will be stationed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas. Poland will also be the first international customer to conduct F-35 pilot training at this base.
The F-35 is currently operating from 32 bases worldwide. As of now, Lockheed Martin has delivered over 1,000 F-35s and has provided training for more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers. The cumulative flight hours of the F-35 fleet have exceeded 889,000 hours. Lockheed Martin is committed to working closely with F-35 operators to ensure that allies stay ahead of evolving threats.
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