The Event
On Friday, June 12, 2026, Poland will celebrate the arrival of its most advanced fighter jets with a public flyover named "Powitanie z Polską" ("Welcome to Poland"). Three freshly delivered F-35A Lightnings will fly low-level passes over Kraków, Warsaw, and Gdańsk, allowing residents to see Poland's newest military hardware in person.
The event coincides with an official F-35 acceptance ceremony at Łask Air Base — marking the moment NATO's eastern flank gains its first permanently-stationed 5th-generation fighters.
The Planned Route
The three aircraft will depart Łask Air Base and fly this sequence:
- Kraków — Low pass over Wawel Castle, the seat of Polish state power and a symbol of national identity
- Gdańsk — Flyover of Westerplatte, site of Poland's first military resistance in September 1939
- Warsaw — Flight corridor along the Vistula River, the capital's main waterway
- Return to Łask Air Base in central Poland
Each flyover is expected to last several minutes, giving residents and media a clear view of the F-35's distinctive delta-wing profile.
Poland's F-35A "Husarz" Program
Poland has ordered 32 F-35A aircraft under a $4.6 billion contract signed in 2020. The program is named "Husarz" ("Winged Hussar"), referencing the legendary Polish cavalry that defended the eastern frontier for centuries — a nod to the F-35's role securing NATO's eastern flank today.
First Delivery
Three aircraft (tail numbers 3509, 3510, 3511) arrived at Łask Air Base on May 22, 2026. These are the machines performing the June 12 flyover.
Eight additional F-35s remain stationed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where Polish pilots continue advanced training. Full delivery of all 32 aircraft is expected by 2030.
The Pilots
Polish F-35 pilots have been training in the U.S. since January 31, 2025. They have logged over 1,000 flight hours on the type — equivalent to full combat readiness for NATO operations. Each pilot's training pipeline costs approximately $55 million, reflecting the F-35's complexity.
Force Structure: F-35 + F-16V
The F-35 fleet will not replace Poland's existing 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters, but operate alongside them. This two-tier structure — F-35s for penetration and sensor data collection, F-16s for high-end strike — is recognized as one of NATO's most effective modern air combat architectures.
Poland is simultaneously upgrading its F-16 fleet to F-16V standard, which includes:
- AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar
- New communications suite
- Integration with F-35 data-sharing networks
Armament
The F-35A Husarz carries:
- 25 mm GAU-22/A cannon (internal)
- AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles (180 km standoff range)
- AGM-88G AARGM-ER anti-radiation missiles
- GBU-31 JDAM precision-guided munitions
- Future integration of AGM-158 Joint Stand-Off Weapons and B61-12 thermonuclear bombs (as part of NATO's nuclear-capable force structure)
The Basing
Home base: 32nd Tactical Air Base, Łask (currently operational)
Second base (2027–2028): 21st Tactical Air Base, Świdwin (southeast Poland, near the German border)
Both bases are receiving infrastructure upgrades to support 5th-generation operations — including hardened shelters, advanced fueling systems, and sensor fusion centers.
Why This Matters
The F-35's arrival marks a technological leap for Poland and a political statement about NATO's commitment to the eastern flank.
For two decades, Poland relied on Cold War-era aircraft — MiG-29s and Su-22s inherited from the Soviet era. The F-35 represents a shift: NATO's most advanced fighter, integrated into NATO's most advanced command-and-control networks, permanently deployed on the border with Russia and Belarus.
Russian defence commentators have already noted the significance. The F-35's sensor fusion and low-observable design make it difficult for Russian air-defense systems (S-400, Pantsir) to track and engage — a capability gap Moscow cannot quickly close.
The June 12 flyover is partly military (demonstrating readiness) and partly political theatre (showing Polish citizens and regional adversaries that Warsaw is raising its technological and military profile).
Sources
- BOOP.PL — Polish-language reporting, confirmed June 12 "Powitanie z Polską" event and flyover route
- Portal Obronny — Detailed route breakdown and ceremony details (June 9, 2026)
- Aircraft Insider — Delivery confirmations, armament specs, pilot training costs
- Janes Defence — Official delivery documentation
- Euronews — Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz statements on NATO significance
- Defence Express — F-35/F-16V force structure and infrastructure plans
- Pravda Poland — Contract details and program timeline
Published: June 9, 2026
Event date: June 12, 2026
Filed under: NATO, Poland, Military