One Of 48 Planes Slated For "Peace Sky" Program

The first of 48 F-16s produced for the Poland Air Force "Peace Sky" program was officially unveiled Friday, during a ceremony at Lockheed Martin's production facility in Fort Worth, TX. The event comes six months after the first flight of the aircraft, slated to be the most advanced fighter aircraft in NATO. 

"Poland is delighted to be taking delivery of an aircraft that will not only transform our capabilities in the air but also those of our ground troops and the Navy," said Poland Minister of Defense Radoslaw Sikorski. "It will also significantly bolster the operational capacity of our expeditionary forces."

The Poland Peace Sky Program began in April 2003. Friday's rollout commemorates the 48 F-16s that Lockheed Martin is producing for Poland. The aircraft joins a fleet of more than 4,300 F-16s operated by 24 air forces around the world. 

"This is a great day for Poland and the United States," said USAF International Affairs Deputy Undersecretary Bruce Lemkin. "The Polish Air Force now will be flying a frontline, top-performance fighter, virtually the same F-16 being flown by the US Air Force.  The Peace Sky program is the centerpiece of an enduring relationship between our air forces and will allow us to train together, operate together, fly together and learn from one another. These F-16s will provide the foundation of interoperability that will enable us to carry out operations as NATO and coalition partners."

Lt. Gen. Stanislaw Targosz, Commander of the Poland Air Force, expressed pride that Poland has acquired such advanced F-16s. "The Poland Air Force is proud to accept our new F-16 today," he said. "Poland now has the most technologically advanced F-16s in NATO, strengthening not only the Poland Air Force, but improving our interoperability with other F-16 operators in the NATO alliance."

"We have a new NATO beginning today," said Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President Ralph D. Heath. "Peace Sky is physical evidence of the vision both our nations shared to take Poland and NATO to a new level with this most capable, combat-proven, 21st century fighter."

The F-16 for Poland includes enhanced capabilities, modern technologies and growth potential that will establish a foundation for the Poland Air Force in the 21st century. "We have been on or ahead of schedule in all key events," said Lockheed Martin's Shrewsbury. "We will take every measure to ensure the Poland Air Force achieves and maintains its highest levels of capability and readiness while flying the F-16."

The Poland Peace Sky program includes 36 F-16Cs and 12 F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. This first aircraft -- a single-seat F-16C model -- was accepted by the US government (as agent for Poland in the Foreign Military Sales process) on March 30, one month ahead of schedule.

The US government accepted the first two-seat F-16D version in June. The first four aircraft will be ferried to Poland in November with the remainder following in 2007 and 2008.

The F-16 is in service with 24 nations, with more than 4,300 aircraft delivered worldwide from assembly lines in five countries.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com, www.wlop.mil.pl/