Poland's first F-35A 'Husarz' fighter jet completes maiden flight

Poland's first F-35A fighter jet, named "Husarz," has successfully completed its inaugural test flight at Lockheed Martin's facility at NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas.

Poland's first F-35A "Husarz".

Photo: Victoria & Gherardo Fontana/x.com/DGeneralneRSZ

The flight lasted over an hour and marked a significant milestone in Poland's efforts to modernize its air force, the General Command of the Polish Armed Forces announced on Monday.

Upon official delivery to the Polish Air Force, the initial aircraft will be stationed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where Polish pilots will undergo training.

Polski 🇵🇱 myśliwiec F-35A Husarz wykonuje swój pierwszy lot!

✔️ #F35A 🇵🇱 #Husarz AZ-02 c/n 3502 pomyślnie wykonał swój pierwszy lot testowy z fabryki Lockheed Martin w bazie NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth w 🇺🇸 Teksasie. Lot rozpoczął się wczoraj po godzinie 13:30 czasu… pic.twitter.com/LpBzfWiBPQ

— Dowództwo Generalne (@DGeneralneRSZ) December 3, 2024

The first batch of F-35As is expected to arrive in Poland in 2026, with the full fleet delivered by 2030. Under the contract signed, Poland will receive 32 F-35A fighter jets, along with a training package and spare engines, for a total of $4.6 billion.

The aircraft destined for Poland are the F-35A variant with extended range and increased weapons payload capacity. The Polish "Husarz" jets will also feature the latest technological updates, allowing for future modernization.

(jh)

Source: IAR, wojsko-polskie.pl