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Polish Air Force Enters in New Era with Deliveries of First F-35A in US.
As part of a critical milestone in the modernization of the Polish Air Force, the first two Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jets intended for Poland have landed at Ebbing Air Base of the Arkansas Air National Guard (AR ANG) in the United States. With this delivery, Poland joins the select circle of countries operating the F-35, thus marking a new phase in defense cooperation with the United States.
The F-35A is a stealth multirole fighter designed for conventional takeoff and landing, developed in the United States by Lockheed Martin. (Picture source: US DoD)
Following the example of other international F-35 users, the Polish Air Force has chosen to set up an initial unit on American soil for training its pilots and technicians. Unlike Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands—which use Luke Air Force Base (Arizona) for this purpose—Poland has launched its training program at AR ANG’s Ebbing Air Base.
The first two Polish F-35A Lightning IIs, in their conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) version, arrived on December 23 from the Fort Worth (Texas) factory. Henceforth, Polish personnel will be trained by specialists from the 85th Fighter Group of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), responsible for instructing foreign pilots under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
In March 2023, Ebbing Air Base was officially designated as a training center for international F-35A users. In July 2024, the 33rd Fighter Wing reactivated the 85th Fighter Group and the 57th Fighter Squadron to train pilots from various nations. After ruling out other options—such as Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (Texas) and Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan—the USAF selected Ebbing to host both the F-35 FMS program and a Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 squadron.
Over the coming years, pilots from Finland, Germany, Switzerland, and Singapore—all current or future F-35A operators—will also train at Ebbing. This initiative reinforces the base’s position as one of the leading international hubs for fifth-generation crew training.
The F-35A is a stealth multirole fighter designed for conventional takeoff and landing, developed in the United States by Lockheed Martin with contributions from Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, and Pratt & Whitney. It is operated by numerous countries, ranging from the United States and the United Kingdom to Israel, Japan, South Korea, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Singapore, Finland, Canada, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Greece, and Germany. Its armament capabilities are tailored to handle various types of missions, from air-to-air combat and ground support to precision strikes, notably incorporating a 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannon and the ability to carry both latest-generation air-to-air missiles and precision-guided munitions such as the GBU-31 JDAM or GBU-39 SDB.
It is equipped with an AN/APG-81 AESA radar, providing excellent detection range, while the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) and the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) deliver 360-degree situational awareness and precise target identification. The pilot also benefits from a Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) that projects real-time flight and mission data, complemented by secure data links and an electronic warfare (EW) suite capable of jamming enemy radars and countering missile threats.
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, the F-35A generates up to 28,000 pounds of thrust in dry operation and 43,000 pounds with afterburner, enabling it to reach a top speed of Mach 1.6 (about 1,930 km/h). It can take off at a maximum weight of about 31,800 kg, featuring a combat radius of around 2,220 km and a maximum range of approximately 3,670 km. As such, it is a fighter designed to project air power over long distances, ensure air superiority, and carry out multiple missions with a stealth profile that makes it difficult to detect and intercept.
Poland’s F-35As are set to replace the older MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-22 ground-attack aircraft. A total of 32 aircraft have been ordered, locally designated as “Husarz” in tribute to the famous Winged Hussars, a legendary cavalry unit that took part in decisive battles in European history. The arrival of these first fighters marks a strategic step forward, strengthening military cooperation between Poland and the United States while accelerating the modernization of the Polish Air Force.