Is Poland Really Considering Procurement Of Korean FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft?
Skoro delegacja zapoznawała się z ofertą Korea Aerospace Industries, to można dopowiedzieć, że FA-50 jest rozważany jako platforma mogąca stanowić wzmocnienie Sił Powietrznych.
— Krzysztof Płatek (@krzysztof_atek) May 31, 2022
The declaration is confusing, to state the least. As Poland runs the M-346 Master in the instructor duty currently, with even more heading, and also with the F-16s being the foundation of the flying force, and also with unavoidable purchase of the F-35, it is rather tough to examine the reasoning behind such an acquisiton. Back in Oct. 2020 the Polish MoD made a decision to acquire 8 extra Masters, bringing the overall variety of the Italian AJT systems to 16.
Dawid Kamizela, Polish protection expert benefiting the Nowa Technika Wojskowa, and also Frag Out! publications informed us: “The T-50 is currently understood in Poland, as the T-50 completed versus the M-346 in the LIFT (Lead-in Fighter Trainer) program. As most of us understand, the Italian system won that tendering treatment. It would just be feasible if the T-50 won that LIFT tender if we were to validate the purchase of the FA-50 currently. If any kind of specific niche for airplane because of this– combat-capable instructor– exists in the Polish Air Force, after that, for apparent factors– the M-346 must be the main option.”
The Polish Air Force would certainly require to develop a brand-new supply/maintenance chain for a completely brand-new, unique system, complying with the currently expensive F-35 purchase. Keeping 3 various system kinds might position a substantial obstacle. The framework for FA-50 would certainly consist of garages, however some difficulties within the range of logistics as well as training, in addition to consumables and also spares, would certainly require to be attended to. Also if the FA-50 is taken into consideration as a light fight airplane, its minimal haul ability, or reduced efficiency envelope for the air-to-air rockets (as a result of the reduced rate) might likewise appear to be a significant issue. The only circumstance in which the FA-50 can use a possible as a battle airplane is when the enemy runs outdated 2nd or 3rd gen systems, such as MiG-19, or MiG-21– as in situation of North Korea. Some wild declarations were being made weeks earlier, recommending the FA-50 can change the Polish MiG-29s, after these are possibly handed off to Ukraine– yet neither did move therefore occur, neither is it presently on the table, as a prospective alternative.
Rather than acquiring an additional sort of airplane, one might take the chance of a declaration that Poland would certainly be much better off obtaining taken part in allied interoperability programs, such as the MMF (Multinational MRTT Fleet), or the NATO AWACS part. These would in fact reasonably enhance the possible offered to the Polish Air Force, without always hurting the currently greatly strained logistics chain.
Defence24 at the same time additionally hypothesized that Korea can possibly supply a transfer of its pre-owned KF-16 MRCA– as a possible support of the Polish Air Force’s capacity, This appears to be an extra reasonable choice, given that it would certainly not be such a pressure on the upkeep chain, as KF-16 shows a high level of commonness with the Polish F-16 Block 52 jets.
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