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FA-50
Poland’s new fleet of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light combat aircraft has entered operational service, becoming part of the country’s national air defense system.
Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz declared the 12-strong FA-50GFs in operational service on Oct. 2, saying the aircraft would “reinforce” the country’s eastern border.
“Even though the aircraft were purchased without armament,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a pointed message to opposition parties, “it was possible to acquire them, thanks to which they can serve our defense,” he said.
The FA-50GFs, known as Gap Filler aircraft, were purchased from KAI to rapidly fill the gap in Polish combat air capability created by the transfer of the Polish Air Force’s MiG-29s to Ukraine.
The aircraft were ordered in a configuration like that used by the Republic of Korea Air Force for advanced jet training and are equipped with modest electronic equipment and limited armament capability.
And although weapons were controversially not purchased with the aircraft, Poland has since acquired Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinders and 20-mm guns to equip the aircraft, giving them the ability to combat one-way attack drones.
The FA-50GFs were part of a 2022 order for 48 FA-50s. Future batches will be delivered in an updated configuration called FA-50PL. They are due to be equipped with more advanced avionics, an active electronic scanned array radar and the ability to use more capable air-to-air missiles.
The FA-50GFs will be converted to the FA-50PL standard later. The FA-50 was selected in part because of the type’s compatibility with Poland’s existing F-16C/D Block 50 fleet and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the first examples of which have now arrived in-country.
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