For the first time, Poles were able to see the most advanced fighter jets, which in the coming years will become one of the pillars of the country’s military aviation.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Three fifth-generation F-35 aircraft, nicknamed “Husarz,” performed a ceremonial flypast over Poland’s largest cities as part of the “Welcome to Poland” operation.
The event preceded the official ceremony to induct the jets into the Polish Armed Forces at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask.
‘Welcome to Poland’
The fighters took off in the morning from the base in Łask and began their demonstration flight, intended to give residents a chance to see the Polish army’s new hardware up close.
“This is the day we have been waiting for for years! Today Poland welcomes its F-35 ‘Husarz,'” Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on social media.
The first point on the route was Gdańsk, where at around 9.45 am the jets appeared over the historic Westerplatte peninsula.
The F-35s then headed for Warsaw and at around 10.10 am flew along the Vistula at the height of the Warsaw Citadel.
The next leg of the journey was Kraków, where at around 10.35 am the aircraft could be seen above the Vistula near Wawel Hill.
The last city included in the display was Łódź, where at around 11.05 am the jets flew over the Lviv Airmen Roundabout before turning back towards the Łask airfield.
The flypast aroused huge interest among residents. Videos and photos taken by spectators appeared on social media almost immediately.
The flight was not only symbolic; it was also part of a training exercise.
A technological revolution for Polish aviation
Fifth-generation F-35s are among the most advanced combat aircraft in the world. Thanks to stealth technology, they are much harder for enemy radar to detect.
They are also equipped with an extensive sensor suite that allows them to gather, analyse and relay information to other military units operating in the air, on land and at sea.
The aircraft can carry out a wide range of combat missions.
They are capable of carrying modern weaponry, including AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as long-range AGM-158 JASSM missiles designed to strike ground targets.
According to military experts, the introduction of the F-35 marks a qualitative leap in the capabilities of the Polish armed forces and strengthens the potential of NATO’s eastern flank.
The F-35 has been produced by US company Lockheed Martin since 2006 and is gradually becoming the key combat aircraft of the North Atlantic Alliance.
In Europe they are operated by the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Poland builds a fleet of 32 jets
The first three F-35s arrived in Łask at the end of May.
The country’s top authorities attended the formal handover of the aircraft, among them President Karol Nawrocki, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Senate Speaker Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska and Thomas DiNanno, representing the US administration.
The ceremony was also attended by former defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak, who in 2020 signed the contract to purchase the jets.
“This is a historic day for the Polish Armed Forces and for our security. Poland is joining the elite group of countries that operate fifth-generation aircraft with unique combat capabilities,” President Karol Nawrocki wrote on social media.
“It is the achievement of many service personnel and civilians who worked on the purchase and introduction of the F-35 into the Polish Air Force. It is also the result of a strong, strategic alliance with the United States and another visible sign of friendship between our countries, especially symbolic in the year marking the 250th anniversary of US independence,” he added.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk also commented on the development.
During celebrations of the State Protection Service Day in Warsaw, the head of the Polish government referred in his speech to the ceremony marking the induction of the F-35 fighters into the Polish army.
“Today there is also a festive moment in Łask. That will be the training centre, a kind of school for pilots of these state-of-the-art aircraft,” the prime minister said.
“The heroes of ‘Top Gun’ could well envy our pilots,” he added.
His remarks were later posted on the government’s social media accounts.
He revealed, among other things, that one of the pilots of the new Polish aircraft had said that “compared with the previous machines, the F-35 is like a Porsche next to a Fiat Tipo.”
Poland signed a contract in early 2020 to acquire 32 F-35 fighters together with a training package and additional engines. The deal was worth 4.6 billion dollars, with each aircraft costing around 87 million dollars.
The defence minister announced that a further 11 aircraft will be delivered in the coming months, with 12 more next year and additional jets in subsequent years. In total, Poland will have 32 F-35s.
All deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2029.
The aircraft will eventually be based at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask and the 21st Tactical Air Base in Świdwin. Both units are currently expanding their infrastructure, including building technical facilities and installing modern simulators.
The Polish F-35s are expected to reach full operational capability around 2030, but before then they will gradually take over tasks such as protecting the airspace of the country and the Alliance.
‘Husarz’: Poland’s fifth-generation fighter
During the ceremony, Poland’s F-35s were symbolically given the name “Husarz.” The godmothers of the aircraft were Paulina Kosiniak-Kamysz and Captain Magdalena Boryc-Krakowian, the wife of Lieutenant Colonel Maciej Krakowian “Slab,” who was killed in a plane crash in 2025.
“Thank you, Captain, for accepting my invitation and being here with us today. Poland remembers pilot Lieutenant Colonel Krakowian. Because the armed forces are a family, because the army never leaves anyone alone. May this day give us great hope and energy. Long live the Polish Armed Forces, long live Poland!” the defence minister said.
The name “Husarz” for Poland’s F-35 fighters was chosen in an open vote held on the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces’ social media channels.
The choice refers to one of the most recognisable military formations in Poland’s history: the hussars, who formed the Commonwealth’s elite heavy cavalry from the 16th century until the early 18th century.
Their task was to break enemy lines and shatter their formations, opening the way for the rest of the Polish cavalry to move in.
Thanks to their excellent training, effective tactics and distinctive weaponry, the hussars scored many spectacular victories.
The best known include their triumphs at Kircholm in 1605, Kłuszyn in 1610, Chocim in 1673 and Vienna in 1683.
The tradition of naming Polish weapons
Giving distinctive names to military equipment has a long tradition in Poland.
A modern example is the F-16 fighter, which entered service with the Polish Air Force between 2006 and 2008 and was given the name “Jastrząb”.
A similar custom also existed before the Second World War. At that time, the Polish air force operated aircraft such as the PZL.23 “Karaś” and PZL.37 “Łoś” bombers.
The new name F-35 “Husarz” continues the long-standing tradition of linking modern weaponry with symbols that are important for Polish history.
Read the full article here
