Poland has officially unveiled its first F-35A “Husarz” aircraft in a ceremony held in Fort Worth, Texas, on 28 August 2024.
The name “Husarz,” meaning “Hussar,” draws inspiration from Poland’s historic cavalry units that were active from the 16th century to the early 18th century.
Warsaw ordered 32 of the fifth-generation F-35 jets more than four years ago as part of a $4.6 billion deal.
The deal aims to enhance its military capabilities as a safeguard against potential threats, particularly in light of Russian aggression. Poland shares borders with Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, and Deputy National Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk emphasised the importance of having “the best equipment, the best capability, and the best friends” to maintain national security.
Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, also spoke of the longstanding collaboration between Poland and Lockheed Martin, noting previous acquisitions such as the C-130 Hercules and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The F-35A “Husarz” is expected to be a vital addition to Poland’s air force, which currently operates F-16 C/D Block 52+ jets and FA-50 light attack aircraft.
As further F-35s are produced, they will be used at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to train Polish pilots. The first of these aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Poland in 2026, making Poland the first Eastern European country to operate the F-35, with the Czech Republic and Romania expected to follow. Deliveries will continue until 2030, with batches of four to six units each year.
Silly question, why not buy f35b if a country on the border with potential adversary? Just thinking about vulnerable airstrips.
Probably waiting for the UK government to sell them F35 on the cheap…we need the money to pay for 5000 hotel rooms being kept in reserve
Brave words 👍
Unworthy of serious discussion
honestly, he seems to forget the previous government was responsible for that debacle, we could’ve more than easily had a processing centre in Calais which they rejected for their own interests.
The F35b has a shorter range and less performance than the A, but STOVL is a big plus by way of compensation giving many more options to the Air Force and in an emergency, the pilot. Also and on another aspect, there is a silver lining for the UK as we produce approx. 16% by value/content(?) of each unit so something for everyone here 😀
Did pose this Q regarding Norway I think and comments on here suggested the fjords or terrain offered protection and air strips can be patched up. I suppose Poland can always deploy planes from Belgium or where ever in heightened tension.
For an attack role, certainly great. For air defense… not too sure SVTOL is so good. Beside, is it imaginable to have aircraft fighting for Poland without availability of neighboring countries air strip? Do we think that an attack from Russia would be able to destroy all air strip available? If so, we may have more issues than SVTOL availability.
Yes an attack on Poland would be an attack on NATO. Therefore less concern about polish airstrips, anirc losses on ground. Ukraine doesn’t have the luxury of alternative air strips as an example.
Aircraft
The ‘A’ has proved it can operate from Roads so Poland likely had no requirement for the ‘B’,plus its a tad cheaper,and commonality with most other users in Europe.
Frankly it is too delicate for Harrier type field deployment. Complexity means sacrifices in flexibility. I am no fan of the “B” model. Its limited armament options for one preclude any serious dispersal. It is an naval version of a hangar queen.
according to marines its not any more delicate than the harrier. theyve used it dispersed to road/fields a lot during exercises. keep in mind these are meant to ride around on smaller USMC amphib carriers taking lots of abuse- like navy aircraft they’re built pretty robust.
Must admit ‘field’ operations, despite those comments do seem to me to be more problematical than with Harrier due to the hot exhaust issues. Certainly the planned ‘hot’ Harrier was deemed to have an issue in this regard though as it got no more advanced than some engine tests it’s difficult be conclusive. But shall we say the results of that first Starship launch showed (though immensely larger scale accepted) the damage red hot exhausts can have on even hardened specialist concrete. It’s a balance as to whether the preparatory procedures required take too much away from the aircraft’s STOL… Read more »
Can still remember standing in front of a harrier while it took of vertically from the grass at marham mid 1990s….cant imagine an f 35 doing that but I might be wrong..
Shame the UK never followed up on the supersonic version of the Harrier they were devloping.
Just think what sort of plane that would have been.
Yes not as robust as harrier. Is the thinking NATO just gets total air superiority from day one and F35 gives the connectivity and awareness of the skies.
UkJD just posted a NATO must have air superiority article.
That is why I always dream that some modern Sidney camm pops up and reinvents the harrier, just seeing them on the deck of the cavour alongside f 35s is nice. I know they are not up to the modern standards but gladiators did fill in for others in the first years of the war and the swordfish out lived it’s replacement.
The Poles have been doing a lot of exercises using Roads as airstrips
The F35b requires specially treated landing/verticle take off pads, unlike the Harriers which could land & take off comparitively anywhere. Can still do short take off though. Kind of negates the benefit from VTOL.
Aah thanks Frank wish I had seen this before repeating the issues involved in another post.
Poland being like “We saved Europe once and we will never let you forget it.”
Well we threw Poland under the bus at the end of WW2 allowing Russia to eat up half & the rest to go under Soviet control. God bless them for walking the walk defence wise, buying the kit needed to defend the country & deter Russia, while we talk the talk but have little left to back it up.
Well said
The Soviets, not Russia, and I don’t think “Throwing them under the bus” is the word to use after the Empire being put on the edge of collapse for them.
Which was the once? They certainly saved Europe when the Hussars relieved the Ottoman siege of Vienna. Indeed they formed a powerful barrier between the Ottomans and western Europe for centuries but don’t know if you have another in mind like giving us the secrets of the coding machines which probably kept us in the war. Certainly in light of the former the aircraft are in present circumstances well named. Arguably the oldest existing Country in Europe, a century before England truly united yet free for little over 300 of those, so I do think they know a bit about… Read more »
Well Said a bit of history does help. 👍
… literally putting a picture of a Winged Hussar on the cover of everything isn’t a clue?
Here’s a what if: suppose we had donated the harrier fleet to Ukraine say after crimea take over. Would that have prevented the special operation???
The last of the Harriers went after 2010, way before. The rest of the GR9 and Sea Harrier FA2 fleet went pre 2010.
The Ukrainian Air Force operates/operated many Aircraft types including the SU25,a few Harriers of whatever model would not have stopped the SMO so my amswer is no.
Obviously in retrospect uk and America who signed off Ukraine independence with Russia and they gave up the nuke missiles. What would have been the minimum self defence kit to have given them without provoking Russia and accepting that Ukraine probably was still emerging democracy not fully formed.
When Independence was signed off in 1991,Ukraine was commited to handing over it’s Nuclear Weapons yes, but it was still left with a huge stockpile of Conventional Weaponry,it was pretty much a Superpower in it’s own right.What happened between then and 2014 would need a whole chapter on its own.
As an ex Soviet economy it was in no position to sustain, let alone update them. Russia has always ensured Ukraine would never be able to independently sustain itself and when it moved to the Western sphere so as to start to do so, we know the result. It was always run as a fiefdom as most of the old Republics and indeed the internal Russian domains now. Ukraine of course being the original ‘home’ of the Rus still managed to be the most powerful one. Indeed allowed to flourish it would eventually develop not unlike Poland, (part of it… Read more »
Big cuts to the Defence budget ahead…Healey says Defence must play its part in the cuts ahead…