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Poland F-16 Peace Sky

In September 2002 the White House asked Congress to approve an amendment to the fiscal year 2003 budget providing for a $3.8 billion, 15-year loan to Poland for the purchase of 48 Lockheed Martin built F-16 fighter aircraft. This proposal would provide appropriate legislative authorization to implement a new, no subsidy-cost $3.8 billion Foreign Military Financing (FMF) 15-year loan to the government of Poland for the purchase of 48 F-16 aircraft, weapons, and related logistics support. The FMF loan financing is essential to ensure that Poland is able to purchase the F-16 aircraft, rather than European competitors. Poland would have 15 years to repay the loan, including a grace period of up to eight years. As of the end of December 2002 Lockheed appeared to have won a $3.5 billion contract to build 48 advanced F-16s for the Polish Air Force, the largest arms deal ever in Eastern Europe.

The F-16 has participated in combat missions many times. The first of them was the Israeli raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak under construction (7 June 1981). In the same year, an Israeli F-16 shot down a Syrian MiG-21. This was also the first time a fighter aircraft was shot down by an F-16. Also in 1981, Israeli F-16s shot down another five Syrian MiG-21s. The next combat use of the F-16 was the battle over the Beeka Valley. American, Israeli and British sources reported that Israeli F-16s destroyed 44 Syrian aircraft. The most numerous combat use of the F-16 (249 aircraft) took place during Operation Desert Storm, which began on 17 January 1991. During the operation, F-16s performed 13,500 combat sorties, including about 4,000 at night. The aircraft performed both air superiority tasks (F-16s shot down an Iraqi MiG-25 and MiG-29), but above all they carried out strikes on ground targets. Five F-16s were lost during the operation, and four other aircraft were destroyed in accidents.

F-16s were also used in combat on the territory of Europe. As part of the "Deny Flight" operation (support for UNPROFOR - UN forces in former Yugoslavia) F-16s, together with other aircraft of the strike group, carried out an attack on the Udbina airport in Serbian Krajina on November 21, 1993. On February 28, 1994, F-16C aircraft shot down four Yugoslav Super Galebs, which operated in the northern part of the Bosnian "No-fly Zone". F-16s also took part in the "Deliberate Force" operation. In the action, which began on August 30, 1995, attacks were carried out on, among others, armored equipment, command posts, ammunition depots and artillery shelling Sarajevo. Another operation on the territory of former Yugoslavia, in which F-16s were involved, was "Allied Force". Falcons attacked ground targets and ensured air superiority. One of the Dutch F-16A MLU, operating with American F-15Cs shot down a Yugoslav MiG-29 with an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. On May 2, 1999, an American F-16C Block 40 from the 555th Squadron of the 31st Wing was shot down with an Igla anti-aircraft missile. On May 4, 1999, an F-16C Block 50 from the 78th Squadron of the 52nd Wing shot down a Yugoslav MiG-29 with an AIM-120B AMRAAM missile. It should be added that this shootdown is considered, so far, the last, 72nd air victory of the F-16 aircraft.

F-16s also took part in the "Iraqi Freedom" operation - launched on March 20, 2003 by the United States and a coalition of 40 countries. The attack carried out on June 7, 2006 using F-16 aircraft echoed loudly around the world. As a result of the airstrike, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, was killed. F-16 aircraft are still used in Iraq, primarily to support ground forces. Combat use of F-16s also took place during the civil war in Afghanistan (1986-1988). At that time, Pakistani F-16As intercepted Afghan aircraft that violated Pakistani airspace. At that time, F-16 pilots shot down four Su-22s, an An-26, two MiG-23s and one Su-25.

The concept of constructing a light fighter aircraft, which could also, to a limited extent, engage ground targets, appeared in the United States in the first half of the 1960s. In 1965, two study programs were launched on the future combat aircraft: an air superiority fighter - the FX program - and a light day fighter - the Advanced Day Fighter (ADF) - from which the F-16 was created a few years later. On January 6, 1972, the Department of Defense sent a Request for Proposal (RFP) to eight aviation companies: Boeing, General Dynamics, Grumman, Fairchild, Lockheed, LTV, McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell. Five companies responded. On April 13, 1972, General Dynamics and Northrop received contracts to build prototypes for comparative tests. Ultimately, the General Dynamics proposal won - the XF-16 (Northrop's XF-17 was further developed and was purchased by the US NAVY, where it flies as the F/A-18 Hornet.

The F-16 first flew in 1974. Since then, several versions of this aircraft have been created - some of them were only tested, some entered series production. These are/were the YF-16 A/B, F-16CCV, F-16A and F-16B Full Scale Development, F-16B-2, F-16C, F-16D, F-16E, F-16F, F-16ADF, F-16N, TF-16N, RF-16C/F-16R, FS-X, F-16/79, F-16/101, F-16AFTI, NF-16A AFTI, F-16XL A/B SCAMP, F-16I, NF-16D (VISTA), NF-16D MATV, F-16ES, F-16X.

After several years of preparations for the purchase of new fighter aircraft (one of the plans assumed the purchase of 64 used F-16A/B aircraft and their comprehensive modernization - MLU), in 2001 Poland sent a request to the governments of France, the United States, Sweden and Great Britain for offers of a multi-role combat aircraft (MRU) for the Air Force. On 226 pages of the "Specification of essential conditions of the order for submitting final offers", expectations were defined regarding: financing of the purchase, operational and tactical-technical requirements and preferred directions of offset allocation.

On February 22, 2001, the Council of Ministers appointed the Minister of National Defense as the coordinator of the aircraft purchase. On March 5, 2001, an interdepartmental team led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Romuald Szeremietiew began work. On April 12, 2001, the Defense Affairs Committee of the Council of Ministers decided to positively recommend the prepared Tactical and Technical Requirements, the method of financing and the proposal for the offset program to the government. On April 18, the Minister of National Defense appointed a tender committee headed by Colonel Wlodzimierz Pach, Deputy Director of the Department of Armed Forces Supply at the Ministry of National Defense. On April 18, 2001, the Minister of National Defense appointed a tender committee to select a multi-role aircraft.

It was specified that by the end of May 2001, responses to the request for proposals sent to France, Sweden, the USA and Great Britain were to be received. On May 2, 2001, Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek submitted to the Sejm, in urgent mode, a draft act entitled "Programme of equipping the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland with multi-role aircraft". At the same time, on May 25, 2001, the act "On the reconstruction and technical modernization and financing of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland in the years 2001-2006" was passed, and on June 22, 2001, the act on establishing a multi-annual program on equipping the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland with multi-role aircraft and ensuring conditions for its implementation (Journal of Laws 2001, No. 89, item 972 of August 28, 2001). The first round of technical and financial negotiations took place from August 27 to October 5, 2001.

From 15.01 to 30.01.2002 and from 11.02 to 28.02.2002 the second round of financial and technical negotiations took place. The negotiations were divided into two rounds of meetings. Compensation negotiations were held in parallel at the Ministry of Economy. The first to present their offset offer was the French team, offering the Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2 aircraft. The offset group included Dassault Aviation, SNECMA, Thales, Matra BAE Dynamics. Then the American side presented its offset proposals, represented by Lockheed Martin Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Pratt&Whitney and General Electric. The Swedish-British proposal was presented by representatives of Gripen International (BAE SYSTEMS, SAAB Aerospace) and a group of 17 companies cooperating with Gripen International. Due to the expected changes to the Compensation Act, offset teams were obliged to present new, detailed compensation proposals by 28 February.

The Ministry of National Defense announced February 2002 the withdrawal from the program of acquiring used aircraft. This was connected with the analysis of the expected costs of implementation, operation and modernization of this type of aircraft and with the decision to take over 23 MiG-29 aircraft from Germany. The Minister of National Defense, in accordance with the proposal of the Tender Commission, decided that Poland will purchase 48 multi-role aircraft for the Polish Armed Forces, which will enable the formation of three full squadrons.

The Sejm amended April 2002 the Act "On the establishment of a multi-year program for equipping the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland with multi-role aircraft and ensuring conditions for its implementation" in terms of the subject of the order and delivery dates. The amended Act assumes equipping the Armed Forces with 48 aircraft with a delivery date by the end of 2008. On June 8, 2002, the third and final round of legal, financial and technical negotiations with representatives of companies offering their aircraft were completed. The tender committee adopted the final conditions for selecting the aircraft offered. The most important criteria included: price, fulfillment of technical and tactical requirements and the value of compensation agreements (offset).

On July 6, 2002, the regulations amending the so-called offset act came into force (Journal of Laws No. 81, item 733 of June 21, 2002 amending the act on certain compensation agreements concluded in connection with supply agreements for the needs of defense and state security). On July 8, 2002, the tender committee provided the ambassadors of France, Sweden, Great Britain and the USA with 226 pages of the Specification of Essential Conditions of the Order for a multi-role aircraft for the Polish Armed Forces. The specification specified the criteria for selecting aircraft, the weighting of criteria, mathematical formulas for evaluating offers, expectations regarding the purchase financing model, operational, tactical and technical requirements and preferred directions for offset allocation. The bidders had four months to prepare their final offers.

The final date for submitting offers containing the aircraft technical data (MON) and the terms of the offset offer (Ministry of Economy) was set for 12 November 2002. November 13, 2002 - opening of envelopes with offers at the Air Force and Air Defense Command. The United States submitted the F-16C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft, France - Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2, and Great Britain and Sweden - JAS 39 Gripen. Within 45 days, the tender committee was to decide on the selection of a specific type of multi-role aircraft for the Polish Armed Forces. November 27 - in connection with the submitted offers, the Tender Committee sent questions to the bidders concerning primarily technical and financial matters.

On 13 December 2002, bidders submitted written responses to the questions asked by the Commission regarding the content of the submitted bids. December 13 - the Tender Committee received the opinion of the Offset Committee containing the assessment of the offset offers, which constituted the basis for the Tender Committee to calculate points for the "offset" criterion. December 23 - Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski approved the decisions taken by the Tender Committee. December 27 - at the Air Force and Air Defence Command, representatives of the embassies of the countries participating in the tender received written information about its results.

On 27 December 2002 - at a press conference, Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski announced the tender result and the victory of the F-16. The Ministry of National Defence has appointed a team for the final preparation and specification of the agreement. On 13 January 2003, talks began with representatives of the United States government to detail all components of the agreement. On March 15, the final round of negotiations on the implementation of the program to equip the Polish Armed Forces with multi-role F-16 aircraft took place in Warsaw. After their completion, two agreements were initialed - the main one for the delivery of aircraft and weapon systems, and the financial one. In the presence of the Minister of National Defense Jerzy Szmajdzinski, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Social Policy Jacek Piechota, the United States Ambassador to Warsaw Christopher Hill and the Minister of Science, Chairman of the Offset Committee Prof. Michal Kleiber, the documents were signed by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of National Defense Janusz Zemke, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Finance Prof. Ryszard Michalski and the Director of the Defense Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense Gen. Tom Walters.

On 18 April 2003, Polish officials signed a deal to purchase 48 new F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the United States. The deal reportedly worth nearly $3.6 billion, includes not only the actual airframe, but also support equipment and training for Polish pilots and maintenance crews. Polish pilots are to be trained by airmen from the Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport, AZ while maintainers are also to train with 162nd FW airmen and with specialists from the aircraft's manufacturer, Lockheed-Martin. As of mid-April 2003, the United States was expected to deliver the first of 48 Block 52 F-16s in 2006, for a total package of 36 F-16C models and 12 of the F-16D two-seater models.

The April 2003 deal increased industrial cooperation opportunities for both U.S. and Polish companies in the defense sector. Direct investment in the defense sector includes sub-supply agreements, acquisition of know-how, and training assistance. Incoming streams of new technologies and licenses help modernize the Polish defense industry, enabling its involvement in greater international cooperation. Opportunities for American firms exist mainly in investment, technology transfer, and coproduction work.

The contract for the purchase of the F-16 provided for the training of a total of 49 Polish pilots in the USA. 12 pilots were to complete a program including language training and training on the F-16 aircraft, and 6 pilots from this group were to train to instructor level. Based on the experience of the first pilots, a change was made in the original structure of the training program - English language training (aviation phraseology) was expanded and advanced training on the T-38, preceding flights on the F-16, was added. The next change in the training program was to increase the number of pilots who were to undergo flight training in the USA. The initially planned group of 12 pilots was joined by another 36, who were to complete language training and an advanced program of training on the T-38, and to study on the F-16 in Poland. In 2006, using aid from the Solidarity Initiative fund, it was decided that 24 of the 36 additional pilots scheduled for training in the US would complete the full program, i.e. language training, a program on the T-38 and basic training on the F-16. Currently, negotiations are underway with the American side to also complete such a program for the remaining 12 (of the aforementioned 36) pilots.

The first group of Polish pilots was sent to the USA at the turn of May and June 2005. The training began with a seven-month language course at the Defense Language Institute at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. After its completion, classes began at USAF Randolph Base, also located in San Antonio. (Texas). Polish pilots were sent to the 560th Flying Training Squadron, part of the 12th Flying Training Wing, subordinate to the US Air Education & Training Command. This stage consists of four months of training a given group of tasks in a simulator before performing a mission in the air.

Theoretical training includes about 100 hours of classes conducted before the start of flights and another 50 hours conducted during them. In the initial phase, theoretical classes are conducted by civilian employees employed as flight simulator instructors. The second part of theoretical classes is conducted by instructor pilots from the squadron. The training consists of six blocks (aircraft operation, aerodynamics and flight mechanics, IFR procedures, group flights, flight planning in US airspace, and aviation physiology).

In the second stage of training at Randolph, pilots perform 24 flights in a T-38C flight simulator. The OFT simulator, similarly to the F-16 simulator located in Krzesiny, is a stationary platform in which the pilot receives a real representation of flight parameters. The simulator's cockpit indicators and three screens present flight conditions, terrain, etc. - everything that a pilot of a real plane sees. Simulator instructors can imitate emergency situations at any time, program flights in different weather conditions, etc.

Polish pilots began training on the F-16 in the 195th Squadron of the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Arizona. The military base is located at the Tucson International Civil Airport. The 162nd Fighter Wing is intended for training foreign students. The instructors are very experienced pilots, many of whom have 2,000-3,000 hours of flight time on the F-16. Some of the instructors are graduates of the USAF Weapons School, many of them also have experience from real armed conflicts. Tucson offers enormous training opportunities. Within a short distance from the airport, there are several zones for military aviation available to student pilots. In several of them, flights can be performed from the altitude of a low-flying flight to the stratosphere, in several others, the sound barrier can be crossed above 10,000 feet. An additional advantage of these zones is the possibility of using passive electronic warfare means (flares, dipoles) from a height of 3,000 feet in the zones and from 300 feet above the training ranges and in mowing flights. There are also 4 training ranges and 3 tactical ranges to use. Additionally, pilots have the possibility of performing defensive maneuvers combined with the use of electronic warfare means above the tactical ranges. In most cases, flights to these ranges are combined with arrival at the mowing flight height and with counteracting the air enemy.

The first three pilots (Lt. Col. Stepaniuk, Lt. Col. Zawada and Lt. Col. Malinowski) completed their training in June 2006. Pilot training costs around $1.8 million, while training an instructor pilot costs around $3 million. It is assumed that the number of pilots trained in the first stage (49) will ensure that squadrons equipped with F-16s will perform basic tasks, including combat duty (so-called "duty pairs"). The plan also assumes that in 2010 there will be 72 F-16 pilots in the Air Force. Training of subsequent groups of pilots on F-16s - until the squadrons are fully staffed - will be conducted in the country. However, due to the threat to the implementation of the adopted plans, a new "Concept of training of flying personnel of the Air Force" was prepared. It was signed by the Minister of National Defense in November 2007. The aim of the concept was to analyze variants of training of the Armed Forces flying personnel and to indicate optimal solutions. In the context of the F-16.

With the decision to equip the Polish Armed Forces with a new multi-role aircraft, investments aimed at adapting the airport infrastructure to the standards and requirements of this aircraft were initiated at the airports planned for the stationing of these aircraft (Poznan-Krzesiny and Lask). In addition, the need to adapt the training base of the Air Force Academy to standards enabling staff training was taken into account.

On March 31st, 2006 the United States Air Force contractually accepted the first new F-16 aircraft for the Poland Peace Sky program on March 30. The Poland Peace Sky program is comprised of 48 new F-16 Block 52+ aircraft, including 36 F-16C and 12 F-16D aircraft.

The roll-out of the first Polish F-16 fighter jet produced through the Polish F-16 Peace Sky program took place on September 15, 2006 at Lockheed Martin production facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. The symbolic handover ceremony of the first Polish F-16s took place in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 15, 2006. The first Polish F-16 (No. 4040) and the second (4041) were stationed at the US Air Force Base in Edwards for a long time, where on-board systems were integrated on these aircraft in accordance with the Polish order until the end of September 2007. The tests included software, equipment and armament. The integrated ITT AIDEWS electronic warfare system was tested, the integration of Raytheon AGM-158C JSOW-C missiles was tested, the operation of the Goodrich DB-110 reconnaissance pod, the Lockheed Martin Sniper XR observation and targeting pod, the air combat recording system and the integrated JHMCS helmet (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems) were analyzed. As part of the tests, GBU-31 bombs were also dropped from Polish F-16s.

The Peace Sky program is the centerpiece of an enduring relationship between Polish and U.S. air forces. These F-16s will provide the foundation of interoperability that will enable them to carry out operations as NATO and coalition partners. The Polish F-16 will be the most advanced fighter aircraft in Europe. "Poland is delighted to be taking delivery of an aircraft that will not only transform our capabilities in the air but also those of our ground troops and the Navy," announced the Polish Minister of Defense, who himself flew in an F-16 on September 14, 2006. Twenty seven of 48 aircraft has been already delivered to Poland.

On November 9th, 2006 Lockheed Martin, the Poland Air Force (PoAF), Polish Ministry of Defense (PMOD) and other Polish government officials celebrated the arrival of the first four new Advanced Block 52 F-16 multirole fighters at the Posnan-Krzesiny Airbase in Poland. The ceremony also marked the naming of the Polish F-16s, a long-standing Polish tradition. Mrs. Kaczynska, wife of President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczynski christened the new aircraft "Jastrzab" ("Hawk"). The Poland Peace Sky program included 36 F-16Cs and 12 F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first four aircraft to arrive are three single-seat F-16C models and one two-seat F-16D model. The next four Polish F-16s were scheduled to arrive in December with the remainder of the PoAF fleet scheduled for delivery in 2007 and 2008.

The planes were delivered from the USA by American pilots (but also Polish - an example of which is the delivery flight on November 21, 2007, where Maj. Cezary Wisniewski flew the F-16D tactical number 4085) and with the markings of the American Air Force. The delivery flight consists of several stages. After leaving American airspace and crossing the Atlantic, the planes landed at the USAF base in the Portuguese Azores (Lajes). Then the planes flew, among others, over the territory of Great Britain and Germany, where they stopped at the American base in Spangdahlem. From there, the planes were delivered directly to Krzesiny. In Krzesiny, after completing customs procedures, each newly delivered plane by the American side had to go through the so-called ACCEPTANCE INSPECTION. This service lasted about 3 weeks and consists of checking the technical condition and verifying the parts. The procedure is carried out by 2-3 people from each specialty.

The F-16 Block 52+ was the newest addition to the Polish Air Force's potential. A total of forty eight F-16s were purchased for the Polish Armed Forces - thirty six F-16C and twelve F-16D. These aircraft have been organized into three tactical air squadrons based in Poznan-Krzesiny and Lask. The Polish F-16s nicknamed JASTRZAB (HAWK) are one of the most advanced versions of this aircraft. The main features of the F-16 are: a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 turbojet engine, glass cockpit, active digital control, multi-role radar, GPS, onboard electronic warfare equipment, passive missile warning, terrain-referenced navigation, external and conformal fuel tanks as well as a Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS).

Contrary to popular belief, there is no place for lone wolves and crazy acrobats on the modern battlefield. Advanced technology has radically changed the face of war and reformulated tactics at every level. However, one thing has not changed so far - the magic of flying. The pilot of the Polish F-16 is the product of a comprehensive and, above all, extremely expensive training process in the United States. He owes his skills and knowledge in part to those who paid for this training - Polish taxpayers.

PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company and one of Poland’s longest established aircraft manufacturers, on 29 March 2023 completed the first two component structures for the latest version F-16, the Block 70/72 This development marks a significant milestone for PZL Mielec, which currnely employs 1,500 people across its business in Aviation Valley and sustains jobs for more than 5,000 more in Poalnd’s supply chain. “The F-16 remains a critical part of the Polish Air Force and becomes a cornerstone of fixed wing aircraft fleet for numerous armies in Central and Eastern Europe” says Danya Trent, Lockheed Martin vice president, F-16 program. “This new production work at PZL Mielec will further ensure that Poland is part of the F-16 global enterprise for many years to come and will bring further opportunities for other local enterprises.” The completed structures included the aft and forward sections of the aircraft's center fuselage. Both are destined for Lockheed Martin’s F-16 final assembly line in Greenville, south Carolina.

The implementation and preparation work for the F16 structure manufacturing in Mielec started last year and included modernisation and preparation of the production space as well as setting up the production line. Concurrently, a group of 46 PZL Mielec employees - production workers and leaders, traveled for to spend six months working in Greenville, gaining experience, and learning about F-16 production processes,in preparation for their future work in Mielec.

The US State Department made a determination October 23, 2024 approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Poland of F-16 Viper Midlife Upgrade and related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated cost of $7.30 billion. The Government of Poland has requested to buy fifty-eight (58) Improved Programmable Display Generators (48 installed, 10 spares); three (3) AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Flight Test Vehicles, Captive Carry; three (3) Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), GBU53/B Guided Test Vehicles (GTV); eight (8) SDB II, GBU-53/B Captive Carry Reliability Trainers; two (2) SDB I, GBU-39(T-1)/B Guided Test Vehicles (GTV); fifty-eight (58) Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-Code capability and Precise Positioning Service (PPS) (48 installed, 10 spares); fifty-eight (58) AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR) (48 installed, 10 spares); sixty (60) Modular Mission Computer (MMC) 7000AH upgrades, or equivalent (48 installed, 12 spares); sixty (60) Next Generation Mission Computer (XMC), or next generation equivalent (48 installed, 12 spares); seventy-three (73) AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suites (IVEWS), or seventy-three (73) AN/ALQ-254V(1) Viper Shield advanced electronic warfare (EW) suites, or equivalent (63 installed, 10 spares); two (2) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Special Air Training Missiles; and two (2) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM).

The proposed sale will allow Poland to modify and upgrade its existing F-16 aircraft to the new Viper configuration. The F-16 Viper Midlife Upgrade (MLU) will bolster Poland's air defense and surveillance capabilities, support national security, and strengthen Poland's defense and contributions to NATO. The Government of Poland already has the F-16 aircraft in its inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing this aircraft and services into its armed forces.