A Polish Air Force FA-50 in flight. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the introduction of the first FA-50s, based on the South Korean T-50, to combat duty this week. (Shutterstock/Soos Jozsef)
Why the Polish Air Force Is Now Flying South Korean Light Fighters
The FA-50GF is intended as a “gap filler” (hence its designation) until the Polish Air Force can operate its new F-35 Husarz and upgraded MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets.
NATO member Poland recently took possession of its first European-made F-35PL Husarz. The aircraft in question was delivered from the Italian F-35 Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) plant in Cameri, outside of Milan. Warsaw will receive an additional 15 of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants of the F-35 from Italy, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of 2030.
The Husarz isn’t the only new aircraft in service in the Eastern European nation, however. Warsaw also announced this week that the first of its planned 48 FA-50GF Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft is now in operational service.
“Light FA-50GF aircraft have just entered combat duty. This means another reinforcement of our eastern border. Even though the aircraft were purchased without armament, it was possible to acquire them, thanks to which they can serve our defense,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote in a post on X last week, adding, “Our security has gained new defenders!”
The FA-50 Fighting Eagle’s Specifications
- Year Introduced: 2011
- Number Built: ~225
- Length: 43.1 ft (13.14 m)
- Wingspan: 31 ft (9.45 m)
- Weight:
- Empty weight – 14,264 lbs (6,470 kg)
- Maximum takeoff weight – 26,929 lbs (12,300 kg)
- Engine(s): One General Electric F404-GE-102 turbofan engine (delivering up to 17,700 lbs of thrust with afterburner)
- Top Speed: Mach 1.5 (approx. 1,149 mph / 1,840 km/h)
- Service Ceiling: 48,000 feet (14,630 meters)
- Loadout:
- Armament: Internal 20mm 3-barrel Gatling gun, plus compatibility with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, AGM-65 Maverick, JDAM precision-guided munitions, and Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods
- Payload capacity: 4,500 lbs (approx. 4.5 tonnes), distributed across 7 hardpoints
- Avionics & radar: Digital fly-by-wire system, tactical data link, and multimode radar (such as the Israeli EL/M-2032)
- Aircrew: 2 (pilot and co-pilot/instructor in tandem glass cockpit)
The FA-50GF light fighters are known as “gap filler” aircraft, and will serve very much in that role, as the Polish Air Force upgrades or phases out its fleet of legacy Soviet-era warplanes—most notably the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Warsaw had originally initiated the deal with Seoul to allow the Polish MiG-29s to be transferred to Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian drone and counter-drone technology. However, Polish officials recently announced that the agreement between the two countries had stalled because Kyiv had not fulfilled its side of the technology-sharing arrangement.
How the “FA-50PL” Will Be Better Than the Base FA-50
The South Korean-made fighters are derived from the TA-50 version that is employed by its air force for advanced jet training. KAI produced the first 12 aircraft by modifying incomplete TA-50 Block II airframes that were originally intended for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF).
Because they were not intended for actual combat use, these warbirds were outfitted with only modest electronic sensors. On the other hand, they have NATO-compatible systems, including a Link 16 tactical datalink, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), and an enhanced embedded GPS/inertial navigation system (EGI).
Poland will receive 36 of the upgraded FA-50PL variant, equipped with the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array radar (specifically the Raytheon PhantomStrike GaN-based AESA radar) for enhanced target detection and jamming resistance. South Korea will upgrade the aircraft to support beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat, including Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles, alongside precision-guided munitions like GBU-12 bombs.
The FA-50GFs will also be upgraded to the FA-50PL standard as additional aircraft arrive.
Beyond Poland, Malaysia and Thailand have also expressed interest in the South Korean-made fighter.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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