Lockheed Martin presented Poland’s first F-35 during a rollout ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 production facility. This event marks a significant milestone in the history of the Polish Air Force and strengthens the alliance between the United States and Poland, a key NATO ally.
“In over 100 years of Polish aviation, there have been many generations of pilots and aircraft. I am proud to be part of history today, introducing the F-35 as the next generation of aircraft, which will protect and defend Poland’s future for many years. We are joining a strong coalition of fifth-generation aircraft across Europe, enhancing air superiority through Alliance deterrence”, said Major General Ireneusz Nowak, Inspector of the Polish Air Force.
As part of the most advanced 21st Century Security® solution, the F-35 is currently NATO’s preferred aircraft and will help extend Poland’s strong leadership in NATO through investments in military modernization and increased participation in foreign missions. Poland is one of several NATO nations investing in allied deterrence through the F-35. With its unparalleled interoperability, the Polish F-35s, named “Husarz” to honor a cavalry unit from the country’s military past, will link military resources across domains to enhance the situational awareness of Poland and its key European partners.
“As NATO’s preferred aircraft, the F-35 is a powerful force multiplier, essential for deterrence and defeating threats to Poland and its allies”, said Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “We are honored to strengthen our enduring partnership with Poland through today’s celebration, ensuring Poland’s national security and long-term capabilities for decades to come.”
Senior government and military leaders from Poland and the United States attended the ceremony to celebrate the first of Poland’s 32 F-35s. The first aircraft, designated AZ-01, will be delivered to the Polish Air Force in December and will be based at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where Poland will be the first international customer to conduct F-35 pilot training.
Currently, F-35s operate from 32 bases around the world. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered over 1,000 F-35s, trained more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 889,000 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work side by side with F-35 operators to ensure that allies remain ahead of evolving threats.
In this context, our Navy reached the goal of Initial Operational Capability this week for the Aircraft Carrier Group and the Carrier Strike Group equipped with the F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing version.