TSAMTO, September 19. On September 16, the signing ceremony of two executive contracts for the purchase by Poland of FA-50 light combat aircraft of the South Korean company Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) took place in Minsk-Mazowiecki.
As reported by the Armaments Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Poland, the event was attended by Polish President Andrzej Duda and Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak.
The subject of the first contract is the delivery of 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft in a configuration similar to that ordered by the Republic of Korea Air Force, along with training, logistics and technical support packages. The cost of this contract is about $705 million. The aircraft are to be delivered to the Polish Air Force in the second half of 2023, and deliveries of all components will be completed by the end of 2025.
The subject of the second contract concluded by the Armaments Agency and Korean Aerospace Industries is the supply of 36 FA-50PL light combat aircraft with training, logistics and technical support packages. The value of this contract is about $2.3 billion. Deliveries of the aircraft, which will be made in a configuration that meets the additional requirements of the Polish Air Force, will begin in 2025 and will be completed by the end of 2028.
The packages included in the contracts are similar sets of products and services. The training package includes, among other things, the supply of a flight simulator and a combat simulator (FMS – Flight Model Simulator and OFT – Operational Flight Trainer), training of pilots and technical personnel in the Republic of Korea and Poland. At the same time, the logistics package includes spare parts and consumables.
The signing of the executive contracts took place in accordance with the provisions of the framework agreement concluded on July 27 by the Armaments Agency and Korean Aerospace Industries.
As stated, the accepted method of concluding contracts is associated with the division of individual projects into stages, as well as technology transfer, as a result of which an FA-50 aircraft maintenance center will be built on the territory of Poland. As planned, it will open in 2026. Later, the first 12 delivered FA-50s will be upgraded to the FA-50PL standard.
The adopted acquisition method should make it possible to optimally manage the project and quickly achieve the combat capabilities required by the Polish Armed Forces at the first stage by supplying modern military equipment compatible with F-16C/D Block aircraft.52.+ and contracted fifth-generation F-35A aircraft.
FA-50 is a South Korean light two–seat combat aircraft equipped with modern avionics and fire control radar. The maximum take–off weight is 12.3 tons, the payload weight is up to 4.5 tons. The aircraft is armed with a 20 mm cannon and a wide range of suspended aviation weapons, including the AIM–9 Sidewinder air-to-air UR, the AGM-65 Mavrik air-to-ground UR, as well as several types of bombs for various purposes. The FA-50 is equipped with an afterburner engine with a capacity of 17.7 thousand pounds (79 kN) and develops a maximum speed of 1.5 M (1837.5 km/h). The flight range is 1800 km, the practical ceiling is 14.6 km.
All contracted FA-50 aircraft will be equipped with a Link-16 system and a NATO-standard "friend-foe" identification system. The aircraft purchased as part of the second stage will be distinguished by improved flight range characteristics, a package of weapons, as well as avionics and radar (in accordance with the requirements of the Polish Air Force).
It is assumed that the FA-50 will complement the fleet of existing F-16s and, together with 32 F-35A Lightning-2 fighters, will provide a replacement for the MiG-29 (21 units) and Su-22 (30 units) in service.
