Poland has received its tenth F-35A Husarz fighter jet, marking another step in the country’s programme to replace older combat aircraft with fifth-generation fighters designed to operate alongside NATO’s most advanced air forces.
The aircraft landed at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, central Poland, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The minister announced the arrival on social media, saying the latest aircraft would soon begin carrying out duties from the base.
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The delivery brings the number of Polish F-35s stationed in the country to ten, with a further four expected before the end of 2026 under the government’s current schedule.
Poland has ordered 32 F-35A Lightning II aircraft from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in a procurement programme worth approximately $4.6 billion.
The latest arrival is an important milestone, although the expansion of the fleet remains a gradual process involving aircraft deliveries, pilot training, technical preparations and the development of new airbase infrastructure.
Tenth Husarz lands at Łask airbase
In his announcement on 27 October, Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that the tenth aircraft had reached Poland.
“Another, the tenth Husarz, has landed in Poland,” the minister wrote, according to a translation of his Polish statement.
He added that protecting Polish and allied airspace remained a priority for the government and described the introduction of the F-35 as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s air force.
The latest aircraft, bearing the Polish military serial number 3518, underwent final assembly at the F-35 production facility in Cameri, northern Italy.
According to specialist aviation reporting by Rynek Lotniczy, it is the second Polish F-35 assembled at the Italian facility. The preceding aircraft, number 3517, arrived on 1 October.
Earlier aircraft allocated to Poland were assembled in Fort Worth, Texas.
The arrangement reflects the international manufacturing network supporting the F-35 programme, in which aircraft are produced and maintained across facilities in the United States and participating partner countries.
From three aircraft in May to ten in October
The arrival follows a series of deliveries during 2026.
F-35 aircraft stationed in Poland
| Confirmed arrival | Cumulative aircraft in Poland |
|---|---|
| 22 May 2026 | 3 |
| 28 August 2026 | 8 |
| 1 October 2026 | 9 |
| 27 October 2026 | 10 |
The first three fighters arrived in Łask on 22 May 2026 after being transferred from the United States.
They were formally welcomed into the Polish Armed Forces on 12 June during a ceremony attended by President Karol Nawrocki and senior military officials.
A further five aircraft landed on 28 August, Polish Air Force Day, bringing the number stationed in the country to eight.
The ninth arrived on 1 October, followed by the tenth on 27 October.
There is, however, an important difference between the number of aircraft already in Poland and the number manufactured or allocated to the Polish programme.
Eight additional Polish F-35s have been based in the United States for the training of pilots and technical personnel.
Those aircraft form part of the wider procurement programme, but they are not included in the ten currently stationed at Łask.
This distinction matters because physical delivery, formal acceptance and the achievement of operational readiness are separate stages in introducing a new combat aircraft.
What makes the F-35 different?
The F-35A is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft designed for air defence, reconnaissance, precision strikes and operations against heavily defended targets.
One of its defining characteristics is reduced radar detectability, commonly described as stealth technology.
Its design, materials and internal weapon-carrying capacity make the aircraft more difficult for certain radar systems to detect and track than many conventional fighters, although it is not invisible to radar.
The F-35 also combines information from multiple onboard sensors to give pilots an integrated picture of the surrounding airspace.
That information can be shared with other aircraft and military systems, making the aircraft valuable not only for its own missions but also for supporting a wider force.
Poland’s Defence Ministry has emphasised the F-35’s ability to operate alongside F-16 fighters and Patriot air defence systems.
For NATO, interoperability of this kind is particularly important because allied air forces may need to coordinate reconnaissance, air defence and strike operations using equipment from several countries.
The F-35 is also intended to provide Poland with capabilities beyond those available from its ageing Soviet-designed aircraft.
However, its effectiveness will depend on trained personnel, suitable weapons, maintenance arrangements and operational integration, not simply the number of aircraft delivered.
When will Poland receive all 32 fighters?
Poland signed its agreement for 32 F-35A aircraft on 31 January 2020, during the government led by Law and Justice (PiS).
The $4.6 billion contract announced by the Defence Ministry includes not only the aircraft but also training and logistics support.
The current timetable envisages 14 aircraft stationed in Poland by the end of 2026.
Another 12 are expected to be transferred to the country during 2027, including aircraft used for training in the United States, with deliveries under the overall programme continuing until 2029.
Those dates are programme targets rather than guarantees that every scheduled aircraft will arrive exactly as planned.
Aircraft are undergoing testing and preparation while Polish pilots and technicians continue training.
The F-35 programme is therefore advancing on several fronts: aircraft manufacturing, international training, ground infrastructure and the development of operational procedures.
The Polish Armed Forces formally accepted the first F-35s into service in June, but that ceremony did not establish that the entire future fleet was combat-ready.
Likewise, the arrival of aircraft number 3518 does not independently confirm that it has completed all acceptance checks or begun operational missions.
Two Polish airbases will host the fleet
Poland plans to divide its 32 F-35s between two tactical aviation squadrons.
The first will operate from the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, near Łódź, which is also home to Polish F-16 fighters.
Ultimately, Łask is expected to host 16 F-35s.
The second squadron of 16 aircraft is planned for the 21st Tactical Air Base in Świdwin, northwestern Poland.
Świdwin has historically operated Soviet-designed Su-22 fighter-bombers and is undergoing infrastructure work to accommodate its new aircraft.
According to Polska Zbrojna’s reporting on the F-35 introduction, preparations include facilities and arrangements needed to maintain, operate and support the more technologically complex fighters.
The deployment of F-35s alongside existing F-16s at Łask will also allow the Polish Air Force to develop procedures for joint missions involving fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft.
Those preparations will be an essential part of translating the procurement programme into practical military capability.
A major component of Poland’s NATO modernisation
Poland’s acquisition of F-35s forms part of a much broader modernisation of its armed forces.
Warsaw has increased defence investment as Russia’s war against Ukraine and security concerns on NATO’s eastern flank have placed greater emphasis on air defence, surveillance and military readiness.
The F-35 programme sits alongside Poland’s investments in Patriot air defence systems, modern combat helicopters, tanks and other military equipment.
For the air force, the aircraft represent a long-term change in capability rather than an immediate replacement of every older platform.
Poland continues to operate F-16 fighters and is introducing South Korean FA-50 aircraft as part of its evolving combat aviation fleet.
The name Husarz, adopted for Poland’s F-35s, refers to the historical Polish hussars, the cavalry formation renowned for its role in several major European battles.
Poland-24 previously reported on the decision to name the aircraft Husarz when the designation was announced in 2024.
With the tenth F-35 now on Polish soil, attention will increasingly turn from delivery numbers to the process of training crews, completing infrastructure and bringing the aircraft into routine operational use.
The next immediate milestone is the planned arrival of four more fighters before the end of 2026.
For Poland and its NATO allies, the longer-term measure of success will be how effectively the new aircraft are integrated into the country’s air defence and combat aviation capabilities.
