Duda on transfer of F16s to Ukraine: Poland has little potential
Poland does not have enough fighter jets to protect its airspace, so rejecting any aircraft in favor of Ukraine is a "very serious decision."
This was stated by Polish President Andrzej Duda during the telethon, reports Censor.NЕТ with reference to Ukrinformм.
Duda explained that Poland still has Soviet-era aircraft that were purchased from the Soviet Union or Germany when the GDR army ceased to exist. Poland then received state-of-the-art MiG-29 aircraft, some of which are still in service.
Regarding the F16 fighters purchased from the United States as part of the modernization of the Air Force, Duda said: "There are only 48 of these planes, so there are not many of them. Consider that there are 100 aircraft on one American aircraft carrier. That is, our country does not have much potential."
The President reminded that Poland has also ordered two squadrons of aircraft from the United States and is buying modern fighters from South Korea. They should be delivered at the end of this year.
"But this is the future, and today the facts are that we lack F16s, which perfectly protect our airspace. Refusing any of these aircraft is a very serious decision, given that they require serious and expensive maintenance. Therefore, we do not rule out that this will require broader actions on the part of NATO," Duda concluded.
