Biznes Fakty
Polish F-16 aircraft will be upgraded. „Big contract”
Kosiniak-Kamysz on the modernization of F16TVN24
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz declared that forty-eight Polish F-16 aircraft are set to undergo modernization. The agreement finalized on Wednesday amounts to almost $4 billion. „This is a significant contract for the Polish Armaments Group,” the Minister of National Defense highlighted.
Kosiniak-Kamysz noted during the event at Military Aviation Works No. 2 in Bydgoszcz that the modernization will encompass the entire fleet of 48 Polish F-16s in the C/D Block 52+ configuration, which will be enhanced to one of the latest Viper iterations (Block 72).
„I believe this aircraft will never become dull”
The Minister of National Defense remarked that over two decades of service, the aircraft have been „extremely well-received by the Polish Air Force,” and pilots in Poland have a strong affinity for them. „This aircraft will likely never become uninteresting; it will never fade into obscurity. There will always be new, enhanced, and superior versions,” he stated.
He pointed out that „the capabilities of the C/D variant of the aircraft we currently operate are quite good, but after 20 years, they fall short against adversaries that pose a threat to our security.” The Minister of National Defense emphasized the need to enhance capabilities in areas such as reconnaissance and communication with other systems, including the F-35 fighters that have been ordered for Poland.
The 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ multi-role aircraft presently serve as the backbone of the Polish combat aviation, tasked with, among other responsibilities, the majority of patrols and missions associated with safeguarding Polish airspace.
„The Major Contract”
Kosiniak-Kamysz underscored that „all upgrades to the 48 Polish F-16s will be performed in Bydgoszcz, at Polish defense facilities.”
„This is a significant contract for Military Aviation Works No. 2 in Bydgoszcz, for PGZ,” the minister remarked. He elaborated that this is an important matter because „there were those who failed to invest in these facilities, lacked vision, and even when attempts were made, they were so poorly executed that the outcomes of those contracts were not achieved and remain unrealized to this day.”
„However, there are now contracts that will elevate these facilities to new levels. I can state with pride, as well as great satisfaction and optimism for the future, that the most promising years for WZL No. 2 are still ahead,” Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed.
Stephanie Holmes, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Poland, emphasized during the ceremony that the agreement „also signifies the trust and transparency that define the bilateral relationship between Poland and the United States.”
