Polish Air Force MiG-29s moved to Malbork
The Siły Powietrzne RP (Polish Air Force) transferred all MiG-29s, operated by the 1. Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego (Tactical Fighter Squadron) from Mińsk Mazowiecki air base to Malbork air base (22. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego, 22nd Tactical Air Base), where they joined the MiG-29s operated by 41.elt.
Mińsk Mazowiecki will be the home base for the newly ordered Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light attack aircraft, of which the first aircraft are expected to arrive in 2023.
The Polish Air Force can already look back to 33 years service for the MiG-29. The first twelve MiG-29s arrived in 1989 and were based at Mińsk Mazowiecki with 1. Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego "Warszawa" (Fighter Aviation Regiment). In 1995 and 1996, the unit received ten former Czech Air Force MiG-29s.
A further 22 came from the German Air Force between September 2003 and August 2004. From the total of 44 MiG-29s, the air force still operates 29 in four different variants; single seat MiG-29A (5x), MiG-29G (7x) and MiG-29M (11x) and duals MiG-29GT (3x) and MiG-29UBM (3x).
In July 2022, Poland ordered the KAI FA-50 light attack aircraft. The deal, part of a larger defence contract between Poland and South Korea valued at USD 13,7 billion, comprises the latest FA-50 Block 20 configuration, capable of carrying AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles. The first twelve aircraft will be delivered in 2023 and a further 36 aircraft in the years 2025 to 2028.
Deliveries of the FA-50 will see the withdrawal of the MiG-29 fighters as well as the Su-22M-4/UM-3K fighter bombers of which the air force still operates around eighteen aircraft.
Photo by Andrew Jewson (Scramble Archive)