East Front News #9: Polish F-35 - Will More Come? Record Budget and Defence Fairs in Poland

32nd International Defence Industry Exhibition „MSPO”

From September 3-6, the 32nd International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) will take place in Kielce. This is one of the most important events in the defence industry in Europe, bringing together leading companies and institutions involved in defence, with President Andrzej Duda serving as the Honorary Partner. The exhibition serves as a platform for showcasing the latest technologies, military equipment, and innovative solutions that are crucial for modern armed forces. MSPO promotes international cooperation in defence, facilitating business connections and dialogue between government and industry representatives from various countries.

This year’s MSPO features the Armed Forces Exhibition, held under the theme „Poland: 25 years in NATO, Safe and Secure for 25 Years,” highlighting the significance of Poland’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance for both national and international security. The main theme provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the achievements and progress made by the Polish armed forces since joining NATO. Defence24 is the media partner of the event and will provide ongoing coverage of the exhibition.

Polish F-35 Rolled Out. Will More Come?

Poland received its first F-35A Lightning II multirole aircraft during a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin production facilities. The ceremony, organised on the occasion of Polish Aviation Day, was attended by, among others, Deputy Ministers of Defence Paweł Bejda and Cezary Tomczyk, US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, Congressman Marc Veasey and Senator John Boozman. Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Bejda said: »Today is a special day. (…) It is another milestone in the transformation of the Polish military. It is a transformation into a perfectly equipped, perfectly trained and perfectly commanded military.«

Minister Pawel Bejda also announced that Poland is considering the purchase of more combat aircraft and plans to further modernise its air fleet. He also encouraged the US defence industry to invest more heavily in Poland. The first two F-35 will be used to train pilots in the United States, at the US Luke Air Force Base, after which they will arrive in the country. It is tentatively expected that the first aircraft will arrive in Poland between 2025 and 2026. Full operational capability of both squadrons, equipped with 32 aircraft ordered in 2020, will be reached by 2030. Earlier planning calls for a purchase of two further squadrons but both more F-35A and air superiority aircraft such as F-15EX or Eurofighter were reportedly under consideration.

Polish Government Approves Record Defence Budget

The Polish government has approved the 2025 budget, which includes a record-breaking level of defence spending. According to Deputy Minister of Defence, Stanisław Wziątek, 4.7% of Poland’s GDP — approximately 187 billion złoty — will be allocated to defence in 2025. This is the highest amount Poland has ever invested in its military forces. The total includes funds from the Armed Forces Support Fund (FWSZ).

„However, it’s important to note that the nearly 190 billion złoty figure likely combines standard budgetary defence spending with expenditures from the Armed Forces Support Fund. The latter carries greater risks regarding actual disbursement compared to standard budget expenditures. For instance, in 2023, the Ministry of Defence’s budget of 97 billion złoty was almost fully utilized, but many projects planned under the Armed Forces Support Fund could not be completed. (…) Projects funded by the Armed Forces Support Fund include the purchase of Apache Guardian helicopters and contracts with South Korea. The Apache was recently succesfully completed, but second phase of contracts Republic of Korea depends on additional financing.” - as Jakub Palowski, Defence24.pl Deputy Editor in Chief explained.

More Equipment Delivered from the Republic of Korea

Last weekend, we have witnessed additional deliveries for the Polish Armed Forces. On Sunday, the delivery of 12 more K9A1 howitzers was revealed. Additionally, five K2 Main Battle Tanks were delivered. Both deliveries take place on the basis of agreements signed in 2022, which cover 212 K9A1 and 180 K2 respectively. Those 2022 agreements are fully funded with deliveries ongoing. In December 2023, a second order for K9 howitzers - this time mainly for upgraded K9PL version - was signed.

The December 2023 contract is for as many as 152 howitzers including 146 K9PL, yet as opposed to the 2022 contract it is dependent on additional financing for the Armed Forces Support Fund that has not been secured yet. Poland is also negotiating an agreement for further 180 K2 Main Battle Tanks and 81 supporting vehicles, including recovery and other, which will also require additional financing from the Armed Forces Support Fund.

Aid to Ukraine

On Saturday, President Duda visited Ukraine, where he attended the Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv. During his visit, he gave an interview in which he discussed, among other things, the assistance Poland has provided to Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion. President Andrzej Duda revealed that Poland has supplied Ukraine with over 400 tanks and 800 armored vehicles, representing a significant contribution to the country’s war efforts. In addition, Poland has provided artillery systems, rocket launchers, rifles, ammunition, and both anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. On an international scale, Poland ranks among the top countries that have supplied the most military equipment to Ukraine, underscoring its role as a strategic ally in the region. The weapons provided are crucial for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, bolstering the country’s defence capabilities at critical moments in the conflict. Alongside the deliveries to Ukraine, Poland is investing in rebuilding and modernizing its own armed forces to replenish the equipment provided and enhance its own defence capabilities.

Russian Shahed in Polish Airspace?

According to the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command, an unidentified object, likely a Shahed-131/136 drone, flew into Poland on Monday 26 August, during a large-scale strike against Ukraine. As the spokesman of the Operational Command Lt. Col. Jacek Goryszewski told us, in all likehood, this is not a missile, but rather a Shahed type drone, though no visual confirmation has been provided. The object in all likehood landed Tyszowce town, where it has been searched for during several days. Polish officials have said that the object intruded into Polish airspace for a depth of about 25 km, and was observed by at least three radar systems.

No Ammunition from South Africa?

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland, along with several non-NATO countries, placed an order with Denel Munition, a South African company and a subsidiary of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, for 55,000 Assegai artillery shells. However, that same year, South Africa halted ammunition deliveries to Poland due to concerns that the weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, which conflicts with South Africa’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Kremlin influence has played a key role in South Africa’s decision to suspend arms exports, as the country is attempting to balance its economic interests with political ties to Russia.

This decision reflects South Africa’s broader pro-Russian policy, as it seeks to avoid alienating its partner in Moscow despite international pressure to take a firmer stance against Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. The ruling ANC party in South Africa has strong historical ties to Russia, including support from the Cold War era and current financial backing from Russian companies such as UMK. South Africa has halted arms exports not only to Poland but also to other countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, demonstrating the broad scope of its arms export policy. Poland cancelled the contract worth 893 million Rand (approximately 190 million PLN) related to the delivery of 155-mm artillery shells. The suspension of deliveries hampers Poland’s efforts to modernize and support its military.

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East Front News is a weekly newsletter and article on Defence24.com summarizing the past week’s most important events concerning security and the situation in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It includes original opinions and comments, along with key news items significant from a Polish perspective.

Jakub Palowski, Deputy Ed. in Chief & Aleksander Olech, PhD