Full Breakdown
Poland Plans to Double Its F-35 Fleet with Two Additional Squadrons
6/13/2026, 1:44:04 AM
Expansion Announcement at Lask Air Base
On 13 June 2026, Poland inducted its first 32 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Lask. During the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that the Armed Forces Development Program also funds two further squadrons of F-35s, bringing the total order to 64 aircraft. The event was attended by President Karol Nawrocki, U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno, and featured a fly-by of two F-35As escorted by F-16s.
Strategic Context of the Armed Forces Development Program
The procurement plan is embedded in a classified development program signed in December 2025. The document outlines Polish defense priorities through 2039, covering air-defence systems, munitions, logistics and the acquisition of advanced fighter aircraft. The program’s inclusion of the initial 32 jets and the two extra squadrons signals a long-term commitment to modernising the air force.
Principal Officials Involved
- Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, announced the expansion.
- Karol Nawrocki – President of Poland, highlighted continuity of the project.
- Mariusz Blaszczak – Former Minister of National Defence, referenced his earlier support for the F-35 purchase.
- Lt. Col. Krzysztof “Sniper” Woelke – First Polish F-35A pilot, presented the national flag at the ceremony.
- Paulina Kosiniak-Kamysz and Capt. Magdalena Boryc-Krakowian – Served as “godmothers” for the new jets.
Procurement Timeline
- 2026-2029: Delivery of the initial 32 aircraft (14 by end 2026, 12 in 2027, remainder by 2029).
- Additional squadrons: No firm delivery schedule announced; procurement negotiations are ongoing.
- Training: 24 pilots and 90 maintainers are being trained in the United States; training aircraft remain at Ebbing, Arkansas until Q3 2027 before redeployment to Poland.
Quantitative Overview and Infrastructure Investment
- Each squadron comprises 16 aircraft; the planned fleet will total 64 F-35As.
- Since 2022, Lask Air Base has undergone more than a dozen upgrades costing nearly $700 million, including a secured Operations and Command Center, NATO-standard fuel and storage facilities, modern service hangars, simultaneous-maintenance bays, flight-simulator complexes and a spare-parts depot.
- The second operational hub will be the modernised 21st Tactical Air Base in Swidwin.
Strategic Significance
Polish officials frame the expansion as essential for national security and as a concrete expression of the strategic alliance with the United States. The move is presented as a continuation of a defence policy that began with the 2020 decision to acquire F-35s, a decision that sparked internal debate but is now portrayed as a cornerstone of Poland’s long-term security architecture.
Official Statements & Responses
Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized national pride, continuity across successive governments, and the importance of a stable defence posture. President Nawrocki described the project’s persistence as evidence of responsible state action and highlighted the alliance with the United States as vital. Government representatives acknowledged past controversy over the 2020 purchase but argued that the benefits to Poland’s security outweigh the concerns.
Criticism & Opposition
The original 2020 F-35 decision faced internal criticism concerning cost and dependence on foreign technology. While specific dissenting voices are not quoted in the sources, the acknowledgment of “controversy internally” indicates that the procurement has been contested within Poland’s political landscape.
Verbatim Quotes
1. “The program includes not only the 32 F-35A aircraft we are accepting into Polish service today, but also two more squadrons” — Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense
2. “This is a great day. It is a day of pride for the Polish Army, but it is also a great day for everyone in Poland,” — Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense
3. “A sense of pride, community, demonstrating that Poland neither begins nor ends on a single date, that successive governments, presidents, and generations come, and the most important and wisest of all is maintaining continuity, stability, and building the strength of the Republic of Poland.” — Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense
4. “the continuation of the project by successive Ministers of National Defense is an example of the continuity of state action and responsible thinking about the security of the Republic of Poland.” — Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland
What’s Next
Poland will negotiate contracts for the two additional squadrons while completing base upgrades at Lask and Swidwin. Training of pilots and maintainers will conclude in late 2027, after which the training aircraft will be transferred to Polish bases. The expanded fleet is slated to become operational as part of the broader Armed Forces Development Program, which extends to 2039.
