In the context of an interview given to a public radio station, Poland’s current Minister of Defense, Wladyslaw Kosniak-Kamysz, indicated that negotiations are progressing to donate the country’s remaining MiG-29 fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force to bolster its combat fleet. The news was also confirmed on social media by the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, which pointed to the limited remaining service life the aircraft would have if they stayed in Polish hands, while also noting that the platform is already familiar to Ukrainian pilots.
Quoting some of the statements made by the official: “In some time, the MiG-29 aircraft will cease to serve in the Polish Air Force due to the exhaustion of their service life. We are negotiating with Ukraine the transfer of the MiG-29, but we are also considering the transfer of technologies to Poland, such as drones. This solidarity must be reciprocal.” The General Staff, for its part, stated: “It will be an element of the allied policy of supporting Ukraine and maintaining the security of NATO’s eastern flank.”
It is useful to recall, in this regard, that the Polish Air Force is already undergoing a modernization process that would allow it to carry out this transfer without falling into severe capability gaps. In particular, Warsaw has at its disposal a fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighters and is also awaiting delivery of new FA-50 aircraft designed in South Korea; these two platforms will take over from the MiG-29s if they are transferred. In addition, the service is on the path to forming its fleet of new F-35 stealth fighters, the first seven of which are in the United States to facilitate the training of future pilots.
It should also be noted, as stated in Minister Kosniak-Kamysz’s remarks, that any potential agreement should include some form of compensation from Ukraine. Specifically, the head of the Defense Ministry referred to technology transfer to reinforce the Polish Armed Forces with new combat and/or reconnaissance drones, an area in which Kyiv has become an important developer due to its experience in the war with Russia, although no details have yet been given regarding the types of systems that might interest Polish authorities.
For the time being, it is worth recalling that Poland had one of the largest MiG-29 fighter fleets at the outbreak of the war in 2022, with estimates of around 28 units acquired from various sources. With previous donations to the Ukrainian Air Force via the U.S. government, Warsaw would have parted with between 10 and 14 such aircraft, keeping the remainder of its fleet at the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
You may also like: The U.S would sell a total of 250 Stryker 8×8 armored combat vehicles to the Polish Armed Forces for the symbolic price of US$ 1
