Poland To Purchase 48 FA-50 Fighter Jets From South Korea - Defense Minister

Poland signed a contract with South Korea to buy 48 FA-50 light fighter jets, with the first 12 aircraft to be delivered to Poland next year, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2022) Poland signed a contract with South Korea to buy 48 FA-50 light fighter jets, with the first 12 aircraft to be delivered to Poland next year, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Friday.

The contract is part of a broader five billion zloty ($13.7 billion) arms deal reached by the two countries earlier in the year.

"Until now, the pilots of this airbase (23rd Air Base) have been using post-Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets. We all understand that the further use of this weaponry has no prospects," Blaszczak said during the signing ceremony at the 23rd Air Base in Minsk Mazowiecki.

The first 12 jets are to be delivered to Poland next year, while in November, Polish pilots will head to South Korea for training, according to the minister.

After the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February, Poland began increasing its defense spending. The country adopted a law in March that aims to boost its defense spending to 3% of gross domestic product in 2023, which would be one of the highest shares among NATO countries.