The first class of F-35A Lightning II pilots from the Polish Air Force have completed their training for the multirole combat aircraft.
The pilots graduated from their practical training at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, completing all theoretical and simulator drills.
All of the airmen began their practical training in January, three months after initial guidance was given by the US 33rd Fighter Wing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The Polish pilots are the first foreign servicemen to train at the air force base.
“Congratulations to the Polish pilots who yesterday in the US completed the first stage of F-35 training. Professionalism and extraordinary experience — that’s what made this success possible,” Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz shared.
Wielkie gratulacje dla polskich 🇵🇱pilotów, którzy wczoraj w USA 🇺🇸ukończyli pierwszy etap szkolenia na samolotach F-35. Profesjonalizm i niesamowite doświadczenie – to składa się na ten sukces. Dziękuję, że swoją służbą wzmacniacie polskie zdolności obronne i budujecie… pic.twitter.com/9Zl0lGPzeK
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) May 10, 2025
The pilots are expected to fly the combat aircraft to bolster Warsaw’s operational readiness, as well as deepen interoperability with its allies.
Air Force Upgrades
Poland is set to have 32 F-35A jets by 2030 after signing a $6-billion military sale with the US in 2019.
The units will replace Poland’s Russian-made MiG-29 and Su-22 planes, some of which have been in service since the 1970s.
The sale was established to help Poland deter “aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with US forces,” while upgrading its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense posture.
