Poland to buy three Korean FA-50 squadrons. Bye-bye Su-22?

According to Vice-Prime Minister Blaszczak, negotiations between Poland and South Korea for the purchase of 48 KAI FA-50 light fighters are almost concluded.

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The Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, announced in an interview to the weekly «Sieci» that Poland will buy South Korean weapons. These will include 48 FA-50 fighter planes, as well as 180 K2 Black Panter heavy tanks and more than 600 K9 155 mm howitzers.

The site wPolityce published an excerpt from the interview in the weekly Sieci, where Defense Minister Blaszczak commented as follows:

«We are interested in buying three squadrons, i.e. 48 machines. Already next year, the first aircraft would arrive in Poland. We are finalizing negotiations on this, we are close to the end. All in all, it will be a qualitative leap in the combat value of our army.»

Has the long-awaited Su-22 replacement arrived?

Poland has been looking for years for a suitable candidate to replace its aging fleet of Su-22M4 attack aircraft, operational since Soviet times, of which it still owns 32 units (their current operational status is unknown).

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Leonardo had offered an advanced attack version of the M-346 Master (called BIELIK in Poland), of which the Polish Air Force bought 16 units to equip the 41st training air base.

But the choice of the Su-22 replacement ultimately came down on the Korean side.

Reasons to favor the FA-50

Korean aierospace Industries’ product is an advanced trainer and light, single-engine, supersonic fighter designed from the knowledge gained by Korean engineers during the licensed manufacture of the KF-16. Thus, in essence, it is an F-16 derivative aircraft.

See also: KAI and LOTN sign memorandum of understanding for sale of FA-50 to Slovakia

According to several Polish media reports, this is one of the reasons that tipped the balance in favor of the FA-50, its compatibility with the F-16, of which Poland operates 48 units.

For the same reason, adapting the FA-50 to the existing infrastructure would be easy and quick.

Also in the area of pilot training, the Korean aircraft has an advantage, as the transition from the FA-50 to the F-16 is quicker than from other advanced trainers, and from there they can then move on to the F-35. This would reduce training costs significantly.

And as a combat aircraft? Depending on the equipment chosen, the FA-50 can integrate an American or Israeli (and later also Korean) AESA radar and a variety of modern weapons and sensors, enabling it to perform air-to-air, air-to-ground or air-to-surface missions in a modern combat environment.

The official announcement and signing of the contract will probably take place during the MSPO International Defense Industry Exhibition, which will be held from September 6 in the Polish city of Kielse.