Polish fighter F-35 "Husarz" took his maiden flight – reported the General Command of Types of Armed Forces. The aircraft took off from Lockheed Martin mill at the NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth base in Texas on December 2, around 1:30 p.m. local time and was in the air for over an hour. In the Polish sky it will be seen at the earliest in 2026.
The first F-35 aircraft for the Polish Army was presented in Texas in August 2024.
According to The Aviationist, who first provided information about the “Hussar” flight (F-35A Husarz AZ-02 c/n 3502), the Polish device was accompanied by F-35A AF-427 c/n 5727, which marked 187th Alabama National defender Hunting Division. The test flight was a success. It is known that after the authoritative transfer of the first F-35 aircraft to the Polish Air Force, they will be stationed at the Ebbing Air National defender base in Arkansas, where they will take place. training of Polish pilots.
First F-35 with chessboard are to arrive in the country in 2026. They'll be stationed. at 32 Tactical Aviation Base in Grace and 21th Tactical Aviation Base in Swidwin. Delivering all 32 ordered 5th generation fighters will last until 2030.
The Hussar test flight took place 3 months after The first presentation to take place in distant Worth, Texas attended, among others, by Polish military and deputy ministers Cezary Tomczyk and Paweł Bejda. – This is another milestone in the transformation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. Transformation into a modern, well-equipped, trained and commanded military, which together with allies ensures the safety of its homeland," said Paweł Bejda, Deputy Minister of National Defence on 28 August. “It is simply a multi-tasking 5th generation fighter, which thanks to the advanced stealth technology combined with the fusion of sensors, provides exceptional situational awareness, which translates into the accomplishment of an air advantage”, stressed the deputy chief of the MON.
Purchase agreement F-35 fighters for the Polish Army, accounting for $4.6 billion, was signed in January 2020. The contract provides that the Americans will deliver 32 aircraft, 1 Pratt & Whitney F135 backup engine, ground handling equipment and equipment, as well as a stationary training system, consisting of, among others, 8 Mission Simulator. The price includes, among others, a logistics package, an IT strategy for managing the operation of F-35A Lightning II aircraft and training in US centres of 24 pilots from Poland and 90 method personnel. The contract besides includes clauses related to the modernisation of machines during their usage by the Polish Army.
Lockhead Martin F-35 Lightning II is simply a 5th generation fighter manufactured since 2006. The F-35 presently operate with 32 bases worldwide. So far Lockheed Martin has supplied more than a 1000 specified machines, trained more than 2540 pilots and 16,690 method personnel. In addition to Poland, Canada (88 ordered machines), Belgium (34), Germany (35), Finland (64) and Romania (32) are waiting for F-35A.
