Poland this Friday signed a deal with South Korea to buy 48 FA-50 fighters, another purchase to strengthen its defense apparatus in the context of the new security situation created by the Ukraine conflict.
This deal is part of the PLN 65 billion (EUR 13.77 billion) cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in early 2022.
Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak approved the framework agreement with the Republic of Korea \ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddf7 for the purchase of 48 FA-50 fighters for the Polish Armed Forces \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1. With contracts for K2 tanks and K9 howitzers, it is one of the largest and most important purchases in recent years. pic.twitter.com/TOJtQuhYIL
— Poland MOD \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 (@Poland_MOD) 09/16/2022
That FA-50 will replace the Polish MiG-29, whose technology dates back to the Soviet era. The first 12 FA-50s will be delivered to the Polish military next year, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said.
“It will be a generational leap. The FA-50s are of the same generation as the F-16s, which will significantly strengthen the Polish Air Force,” Mariusz Blaszczak told a press conference.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine In February, Poland supplied Kyiv with arms and ammunition and began buying new equipment to modernize its armed forces and replace equipment handed over to Ukraine.
The country has decided to increase its defense budget from 2% to 3% of GDP from 2023 and aims for 5% in the long term.