Servicing Ukrainian fighters in Poland? PGZ is seeking such an agreement
In the shadow of the dispute over the UPA, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) wants to modernize Ukrainian F-16 and MiG-29 fighters. It’s about support, repairs and service.
It was not PAP, but Ukrinform, the Ukrainian state news agency, that reported that the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) is considering the possibility of modernizing the Ukrainian F-16 and MiG-29 fighters.
According to the president of PGZ, Adam Leszkiewicz, it would be simply a continuation of the existing cooperation, which began with Ukraine’s purchase of Krab self-propelled gun howitzers produced by Huta Stalowa Wola and extended to the production of some components for ammunition and missiles for the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine gives up Polish MiG-29s. Poland will not modernize them
The Ukrainian Air Force currently has a fleet of approximately 40 MiG-29 fighters. Like it or not, this type of aircraft constitutes the backbone of Ukraine’s attack and defense aviation, although their usefulness on the modern battlefield is limited due to the technological and radar advantages of Russian fighters. Interestingly, in the spring of 2023, the then government transferred 14 of our MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine.
So far, Ukraine has also received F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters. At the beginning of 2027, Swedish Gripen fighters will join the set, and Belgium wants to donate all its F-16 fighters, which it will replace with F-35 planes.
Poland still has 14 used MiGs in stock. They were supposed to be sent to Ukraine in exchange for the transfer of drone technology, but the head of the Ministry of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced that the authorities in Kiev withdrew from talks on the acquisition of further Polish MiGs, arguing that the obsolete post-Soviet machines without appropriate modernization do not meet the requirements of the battlefield. And Poland is not interested in bearing the cost of their modernization.
– There are no MiGs for Ukraine, because there are no drones for Poland – Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz informed the media. – According to the arrangements, the Ukrainians were to share their experiences with Poland regarding drones on the battlefield. It’s about the symbolic dimension, but it is very important for them to share know-how and partially make technology available. They are really very good at it. And they agreed to it and withdrew from these arrangements, he explained. He added that the current government, unlike its predecessors, “expects the principle of solidarity from Ukraine.”
The Polish Armaments Group wants greater cooperation with Ukraine. It’s about drones
Ukraine’s decision regarding the fighters is part of a series of events related to the mutual consequences of naming a military unit after the “Heroes of the UPA” by the President of Ukraine, who for this reason – by decision of President Karol Nawrocki – lost the highest Polish state decoration – the Order of the White Eagle. He also did not come to the international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine organized in Gdańsk in June.
It turns out, however, that political disputes do not have a significant impact on business. However, the Ukrainian arms company TAF Industries and PGZ have signed a memorandum of cooperation in the defense sector. – We see prospects for cooperation with this Ukrainian company in the area of unmanned aerial vehicles and we count on an agreement both on technology transfer and joint production,” explained Adam Leszkiewicz.
