Is the government cutting back on servicing Polish F-16s? This appears to be the case, according to a document obtained by Gazeta Polska Codzienna.
GP Codzienna has obtained a document that the military sent to the Military Aviation Works No. 2 (Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze nr 2, WZL-2). In this letter, dated February 4 of this year, the head of the technical oversight team of Military Unit 3091 in Poznań (2nd Tactical Air Wing), Lt. Col. Tadeusz Foryszewski, informed the operations director of WZL-2:
“Due to the allocation of insufficient financial resources for 2025 under the service agreement [contract number – ed.], at present it is not possible to indicate even approximate dates for the repainting of F-16 aircraft scheduled for 2025. At the same time, I inform you that the 2nd Tactical Air Wing’s technical oversight team has (…) requested a change in the 2025 maintenance plan (…) by completely removing the aircraft scheduled for repainting.”
This Is Not an Ordinary Painting
Technicians from WZL-2 explain that this is not about cosmetic painting of the aircraft.
“This is not about appearance. The painting applies a special coating to the F-16s that reduces the aircraft’s visibility to enemy radar,” GPC’s sources say.
They remind us that when the F-16s finally arrived in Poland, this reduced radar visibility was frequently cited as one of the aircraft’s major advantages. Indeed, Polska Zbrojna wrote:
“The 48 multirole F-16 aircraft purchased by the army 11 years ago were painted with a special Have Glass II coating to enhance combat capabilities. Aviation experts claim it reduces radar cross-section by about 15 percent.”
Meanwhile, Aviation24.pl reported:
“During aircraft operation, the paint coating gradually deteriorates, which is why the thickness and quality of the Have Glass II layer must be periodically inspected, and the airframe then sent for renewal. Polish WZL-2 plants only obtained certification in 2014 to renew the F-16’s special coating. Since then, the Bydgoszcz plant has been steadily refurbishing the ‘Falcons.’”
That 15 percent means, technicians explain, that, to put it simply, Russian radars can only detect the fighter at shorter ranges, while at longer distances it remains invisible.
An Unbelievable Scandal!
“This is unbelievable! At a time when there is war right at our borders, savings are being made that lower the combat capability of our air force. This is an outrageous scandal,” said MP Andrzej Śliwka, a member of the Parliamentary National Defense Committee, speaking to Codzienna. He stressed that even last year, the Ministry of Defense budget was subject to dubious reallocations aimed at using up funds while hiding certain shortfalls.
“We are dealing here with protective coatings on aircraft that must at all times be ready for action. Funding for maintaining these aircraft should be secured unconditionally,” Śliwka added.
Deputy chairman of the committee, PiS MP Bartosz Kownacki, stated:
“This is far too serious an issue to be brushed aside. We will demand explanations from the Ministry of Defense and the Air Force in the parliamentary committee. This situation shows a return to old practices. Before the United Right took power, we constantly faced a lack of money for everything. Now, only a year after PO has returned to power, it is happening again. The tragedy is that this philosophy of governance touches such a critical, fundamental matter as security.”
PiS MP Marcin Warchoł added:
“This is a symbol of the disarmament policy pursued by this coalition. Looking at the past months, we see that Tusk was outplayed in Brussels, and Poland received only scraps of EU funds for ammunition production. Contracts with Korea were blocked. The construction of K-2 tanks in Poland is now in doubt, as is the future of the Krab howitzer and the K-9. Now Codzienna reveals cutbacks that directly reduce the combat capabilities of the F-16s, yet another stage in this disarmament.”
Where Was the Command?
Gen. Roman Polko commented:
“I won’t talk about politicians, but I will ask, where was the command of this unit? Of these armed forces? It was their duty not to accept such budget conditions that limit the combat readiness of equipment. Their duty is to maintain full, not reduced, combat capability. From my experience, I know that various attempts are made to achieve savings. When I commanded the GROM unit, there were also cases of creative accounting. They suggested, for example, buying compasses instead of GPS devices because both could be classified as navigation equipment. They proposed cheap, failing pistols. I did not accept that!
In this case, we are dealing with weakening the combat readiness of machines that are essential for our security here and now. What we must fear most is sabotage of various kinds. Examples include Belarusian helicopters intruding into our airspace and missiles falling onto our territory. It could be drones, not just flying over Poland. Such sabotage takes place mainly in the airspace. We do not need to fear Russian tanks; they are still behind the Dnipro, but we must fear air warfare. That is why the F-16s must be ready for action. After all, Poland also participates in Air Policy missions and patrols the Baltic states.”
Questions for the Ministry of Defense and WZL-2
Codzienna’s interlocutors stress that the current situation raises pressing questions:
- If the funds for F-16 maintenance are insufficient, what sum would be required to cover 100% of service needs?
- How much did the military request, and how much was actually allocated in the 2025 budget?
- If repainting is being scrapped, what other maintenance procedures will also not be performed?
- How many F-16s are in full combat readiness and actually available to the Air Force, and how many are grounded?
- By how much will the lack of repainting reduce the revenues of WZL-2, and how will this affect the company’s financial condition?
These questions were submitted simultaneously with the publication of this article to the Ministry of National Defense and to WZL-2 in Bydgoszcz. GPC awaits a response.