Poland to sign contract for purchase of F-35 combat aircraft - MoD

Poland will sign on Friday a contract with Lockheed Martin worth USD 4.6 bln for the purchase of F-35 combat aircraft, Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak tweeted on Monday.

Błaszczak wrote that he would sign the deal to buy 32 state-of-the-art fifth generation Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters in Dęblin, eastern Poland, on Friday afternoon.

The defence ministry said at the end of last year that the contract would be finalised before the end of January, 2020. In May 2019, Poland had issued a request for quotation in connection with the purchase of 32 F-35s.

According to declarations made by Lockheed Martin last year, Poland could receive its first F-35s in 2024.

Before that, the aircraft would remain in the US for two years, where they would be used to train pilots and ground personnel. Later, they would enter into service in Poland.