Poland Launches $3.8 Billion F-16 Upgrade to Boost Combat Power

Poland has signed a $3.8 billion contract to modernise its fleet of F-16 fighter jets, marking one of the country’s most significant air force upgrade programs in recent years. The move comes as Warsaw intensifies military investments in response to the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Poland currently operates 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft, delivered between 2006 and 2008. While these jets have served as the backbone of the Polish Air Force for nearly two decades, officials say the technology now requires major enhancements to match modern combat demands.

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that the upgrade work will be carried out domestically at the Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 aviation plant in Bydgoszcz, a key facility for maintaining Poland’s military aircraft. The project will focus on improving reconnaissance systems, upgrading communication networks, and integrating the aircraft with newer platforms such as Poland’s F-35 stealth fighters, M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.

“The current capabilities of the F-16s are good, but after 20 years they are no longer enough to deal with modern threats,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, emphasising the need for Poland’s air fleet to be fully interoperable with allied forces and capable of operating across air, land, sea, and cyber domains.

The upgrades are expected to include new radars, advanced targeting pods, enhanced electronic warfare systems, and improved weapons integration—transforming the jets into multirole combat platforms capable of countering both traditional and hybrid threats.

This investment is part of Poland’s broader defence expansion, which will see the country allocate 5% of its GDP to the armed forces by 2026—one of the highest defence spending levels among NATO members. The government has also been pursuing rapid acquisitions, including a recent multi-billion-dollar agreement with Hyundai Rotem for new battle tanks and earlier contracts for K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, HIMARS rocket systems, and Patriot air defence batteries.

Analysts say the F-16 upgrade program will ensure that Poland’s air force remains a powerful deterrent and a crucial NATO frontline asset for decades, especially given the heightened tensions with Russia and Belarus. With the modernisation work carried out domestically, it will also boost Poland’s defence industry and create skilled jobs in the aviation sector.