In addition to committing to upgrading its current fleet of F-16s, Warsaw has already begun receiving the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
The Polish Air Force currently operates 48 American-made F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, which were part of the Block 52+ Viper batch, making the aircraft among the most advanced and capable F-16s in service in Europe. The fighters were delivered to Poland between 2006 and 2008, and to ensure that the aircraft would retain their edge, Warsaw committed to further enhancing the Fighting Falcons.
The entire fleet will undergo a mid-life upgrade (MLU), converting the four dozen F-16s to the F-16V configuration, the equivalent of the current production Block 70/72 models. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced it had approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) contract worth up to $7.3 billion for the Polish F-16 MLU.
On Wednesday, Warsaw finalized a $3.8 billion contract with Washington. It is unclear if additional work and upgrades could see the contract further extended. The V bundle was designed to be modular, but the Polish Air Force may not be receiving the complete package of upgrades.
According to The Aviationist, the aircraft will be outfitted with “the APG-83 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar,” produced by Northrop Grumman, and which is a standard feature on the F-16V Block 70/72 aircraft. In addition, the aircraft will receive “a new Center Pedestal Display (CPD), the AN/APX-126 Advanced IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), Link 16 datalink, full NVIS (Night Vision Imaging System) and JHCMS II (Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System II) compatibility,” and further be outfitted with the “Embedded GPS/INS (EGI), a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based avionics subsystem, a high-volume, high-speed data bus and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).”
Poland Is Eyeing Serious Upgrades for Its F-16s
Work on the F-16s will be carried out over a decade-long period beginning in 2028 at the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa: PGZ)-owned Military Aviation Works No 2 in Bydgoszcz. The MLU was deemed necessary given that the oldest of the aircraft have been in service for two decades. Following the completion of the upgrades, the F-16s are expected to remain in service into the 2040s or longer.
“The current capabilities of the F-16 in the C/D version are good, but after 20 years, they are insufficient against threats. We need to improve reconnaissance capabilities, communications, integration with the F-35, Abrams, and Apaches, as well as the ability to operate in every domain,” explained Poland’s Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
“The modernization will include not only the aircraft themselves, but also radar systems, communications, friend-to-foe reconnaissance, ground infrastructure, simulators, and trainers,” Kosiniak-Kamysz added.
Even as the work could be completed in Poland, test flights of at least two of the upgraded F-16s will be carried out in the United States, with the rest tested in Poland.
Poland Is Becoming NATO’s Military Powerhouse
In addition to committing to upgrading its current fleet of F-16s, Warsaw has already begun receiving the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, designated as the Husarz (Hussar), with the first being used for training in the United States. The fifth-generation stealth fighters will begin operations next year, with deliveries scheduled to continue through 2030.
In addition, the Polish armed forces are increasing the size of their fleet of main battle tanks (MBTs) and other armored vehicles as part of a massive military build-up. Concerns over Russian aggression have also resulted in Warsaw committing to increasing defense spending to five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by next year.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
