US to base F-16s in Poland

[Stratofreighter]

http://key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=2964&t ... n=military

US to base F-16s in Poland
US fighters are to be based in Poland.

4-Mar-2011

US F-16s at Spangdahlem in Germany and Aviano in Italy will now be joined by detachments in Poland. USAF image

March 4: Polish news channel thenews reports that the country has agreed terms with the USA for a permanent detachment of American fighters and to “build missile defence systems”.

The US Air Force will rotate detachments at a base in Poland yet to be identified, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton confirmed at a meeting with Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in Washington yesterday.

A new European missile defence system will replace plans by the previous Bush administration to house an anti-ballistic missile unit in Poland with a radar system in the Czech Republic - a plan abandoned by President Obama in 2009.

Obama then approved a phased, adaptive approach to European ballistic missile defence and NATO agreed to the plan at its November 2010 summit in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new approach will begin with existing technology and add more sophisticated systems now in development to build sea and land-based missile defence systems in Europe throughout the rest of this decade.

[ehusmann]

Why? I thought overseas deployments are being reduced because of cost cuts (again), why start a new base? And for what threat, are the guys in Belorussia starting to annoy somebody?

Erwin

[Bennie]

Why? I thought overseas deployments are being reduced because of cost cuts (again), why start a new base? And for what threat, are the guys in Belorussia starting to annoy somebody?

Erwin

I thought Aviano was planned to be closed in the not too distant future. Given the ever lasting turmoil in the Middle East and other areas closer to Europe than to the U.S, Poland sounds not too unlikely to me!

[Borygo]

This is only rotate detachment...

[SquAdmin]

Why? I thought overseas deployments are being reduced because of cost cuts (again), why start a new base? And for what threat, are the guys in Belorussia starting to annoy somebody?

The real reason will of course be to be closer to the Russian borders, but I believe Poland also has less restrictions for training missions than Germany. Wouldn't surprise me if Spangdahlem will be up for closure soon...

[ehusmann]

If this new base replaces Aviano and/or Spangdahlem, I would not be so surprised. But from what is written, it seems like it is in addition to the two mentioned bases. That surprises me.

Erwin

[Borygo]

If this new base replaces Aviano and/or Spangdahlem, I would not be so surprised. But from what is written, it seems like it is in addition to the two mentioned bases. That surprises me.

Erwin

Temporary relocation of one squadron from SP or AV - I would say. According to local rumours Lask AB will host those additional machines.

[Le Addeur noir]

The Polish Ministry of Defence were stating US based units will be involved as well some time back.

[mazzel]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... oland.html

quote:
"Citing diplomatic sources, the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza claimed that 16 US jets will move from their current home at the Aviano air force base in Italy to Lask in central Poland, and will be stationed on a rotational basis from 2013."

[zerofive]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... oland.html

quote:
"Citing diplomatic sources, the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza claimed that 16 US jets will move from their current home at the Aviano air force base in Italy to Lask in central Poland, and will be stationed on a rotational basis from 2013."

http://www.ilgazzettino.it/articolo.php ... ez=NORDEST

[mirage 69]

Google translate:
Pordenone - Concern, but mostly skepticism. These are the feelings that prevail at Aviano day after the announcement - yet another - that comes from the United States on the possible transfer of the USAF base, this time to Poland. A cast shadows were not enough words of Defense Minister, Ignazio La Russa, for whom the U.S. Air Force in Aviano structure will remain unchanged. "I had contacts with the U.S. authorities - said the minister - and they assured me that the aircraft will be deployed in Poland do not come from the Aviano base. "

Grtz Rene

[mazzel]

Could it be a rotational deployment with one of the Aviano squadrons as first unit, then followed by units from the States each for a given time? More or less like the Baltic NATO deployment? Time will tell...

[Worldnis]

Base will be Powidz, USA and NATO have invested heavily in new ramps, fuel farm, hangar space etc.
Several KC-135s (US, FR) E-3 (Nato, US) have already been there for temp deployments.

French Mir 2000 and US F-16 were also brought in to test the ops. After the main runway repairs
will be finished this year, deployments will probably start soon.

Plans were confirmed already in Oct last year during Polish AF Press Tour.

Rob
http://www.karo-aviation.nl/trips/pages ... d20101.htm

[Borygo]

Base will be Powidz, USA and NATO have invested heavily in new ramps, fuel farm, hangar space etc.
Several KC-135s (US, FR) E-3 (Nato, US) have already been there for temp deployments.

French Mir 2000 and US F-16 were also brought in to test the ops. After the main runway repairs
will be finished this year, deployments will probably start soon.

Plans were confirmed already in Oct last year during Polish AF Press Tour.

Rob
http://www.karo-aviation.nl/trips/pages ... d20101.htm

Powidz for C-130 and Łask for F-16.