Poland signs $3.8bn deal with US for modernization of entire F-16 fleet

Poland has signed an intergovernmental agreement with the United States to modernize the entire Polish fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft at a cost of $3.8 billion (PLN 13.8 billion).

The Polish air force currently has 48 F-16s of the C (single seat) and D (two-seat) variants. Those versions first entered production in the 1980s and Poland's bought its ones two decades ago, signing a purchase agreement in 2003 and taking delivery between 2006 and 2008.

“For these 20 years, F-16s have protected Polish skies, participated in foreign missions, and were sent wherever our allies needed them,” said Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

“The current capabilities of the F-16 C/D version are good, but after 20 years they are insufficient to address the threats [we face],” he added. “We need to improve reconnaissance capabilities, communications, integration with the F-35, Abrams [tanks], and Apache [helicopters], as well as the ability to operate in any domain.”

The US embassy in Warsaw hailed the agreement as “another significant step in strengthening the strategic defense partnership” between the two allies. This “is an investment in security, interoperability with NATO allies and partners, and the enhancement of defense capabilities on the alliance's eastern flank.”

The new agreement will see Poland's F-16s upgraded to the modern V Block 72 version. The work will be carried out between 2028 and 2038 at the military aviation works in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz. “ This means secure jobs and the development of the Polish defense industry,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz.

Polish news and analysis service Defense24 notes that, when Poland initially received approval for the F-16 modernization plans last October, the maximum notified cost of the project was $7.3 billion.

But Kosiniak-Kamysz told Defence24 that the figure had been negotiated down to a more “acceptable” level. “We care about quality, but also about the state treasury,” he said.

In July, Poland secured an additional $4 billion loan guarantee from the US, with reports at the time suggesting that the financing was linked to Poland's planned F-16 modernization. Over the past two years, total US loan support to Poland under the Foreign Military Financing program has exceeded $15 billion.

The agreement is the latest in a series of major defense contracts signed between Poland and the US, including the purchases of Abrams tanks, F-35 fighters, Apache attack helicopters and Patriot air defense systems.

Warsaw has also inked a series of multi-billion-dollar deals with South Korea for K-2 tanks , K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery launchers , FA-50 light combat aircraft , and K9 self-propelled howitzers.

Poland has ramped up defense spending in particular since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It will spend this year spend the equivalent of 4.7% of GDP on defense, which is by far the highest relative level in NATO .

“ Our goal is for Poland to be among the top three NATO countries in terms of operational capabilities,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz on Tuesday.

Main image credit: MON/X