Lockheed and WZL-2 to Oversee In-Country F-16V Upgrades with L3Harris, RTX and Elbit Systems

Lockheed and WZL-2 to Oversee In-Country F-16V Upgrades with L3Harris, RTX and Elbit Systems

Published:

September 6, 2025

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Updated:

September 6, 2025

Aircraft

Michael Adler

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jael Laborn

Poland has locked in the electronics lineup for its F-16 Viper upgrade, a $3.8 billion program that will refit all 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ jets and keep the fleet viable through the 2030s.

Lockheed Martin acts as prime and will execute most work in Bydgoszcz with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2, while two aircraft undergo flight tests in the United States before the rest cycle through Polish facilities from 2028 to 2038.

Defense officials confirm the Letter of Offer and Acceptance was finalized in mid-August, with structural life extended to 12,000 flight hours as part of the package.

According to industry sources, Warsaw’s avionics plan mirrors the configuration fielded on new-build Block 70/72 Vipers. Poland’s jets will gain the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA radar, a high-resolution center pedestal display, updated comms and datalinks, a new display generator, and training and simulator upgrades tied to the modernized mission system. The workshare anchored at WZL-2 sets Poland up to support the fleet at home once the upgrades enter service.

Viper Shield electronic warfare for the Polish F-16V

L3Harris will deliver the AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for the Polish F-16V program. The selection was announced on August 28, and procurement will run through the U.S. government framework for the broader modernization.

L3Harris says Viper Shield is in production and designed to match the Block 70/72 architecture. It integrates a digital radar warning receiver with DRFM-based jamming and a cockpit interface tailored for fast threat cuing.

The suite is built to work natively with APG-83, allowing cueing and threat geolocation handoff from the radar to the EW system. This tight integration is a core reason overseas Viper operators have standardized on the set. Poland’s choice aligns with that trend, and it avoids a one-off solution that would complicate sustainment. The announcement quoted L3Harris space and airborne leadership, who said the design prioritizes rapid threat response.

The Viper Shield is aimed at international F-16 Block 70/72 customers. Coverage in recent days corrected earlier assumptions about U.S. Air Force adoption. Poland’s package follows the export baseline and stays within that lane.

Elbit PAWS-2 missile warning on Polish jets

Polish Vipers will receive Elbit’s PAWS-2 infrared missile-approach warning system. It detects surface-to-air and air-to-air threats, including MANPADS, and provides precise launch-point geolocation so countermeasures can be released earlier. The fit fills a clear survivability gap in legacy fleets that rely on older warning sets. It also works with towed or expendable decoys and the EW manager-controlled flare sequences.

Elbit introduced a high-resolution variant, PAWS-2 HR, at the 2025 Paris Air Show. Sensor resolution passed five megapixels and long-range detection in clutter improved. The Paris debut focused on global marketing but the baseline PAWS-2 already flies with multiple operators and integrates into the F-16’s existing countermeasure management architecture. Poland gains a modern infrared warning layer that plugs into Viper Shield and leaves the rest of the defensive suite unchanged.

RTX mission computer, MS-110 reconnaissance, and Sniper DVI upgrades

RTX, through Collins Aerospace, will supply the MMC 7000AH modular mission computer. This processor underpins the Viper avionics refresh and drives the new displays while hosting updated Operational Flight Program software. 

The same vendor will provide the MS-110 multispectral reconnaissance pod to replace Poland’s legacy DB-110. MS-110 adds multi-band imaging and improved range, and – crucially for near-term continuity – remains compatible with jets still flying the OFP 6.5 software before each airframe rotates through full Viper conversion.

Targeting upgrades come via an AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pod refreshed to the Digital Video Interface standard. When fielded, the pod will support Two-Way Data Link and higher-fidelity video for strike coordination and non-traditional ISR.

Poland already drew substantial utility from the Sniper and DB-110 during operations over Kuwait from 2016 to 2018. The switch to DVI removes the bandwidth and connectivity limits that held back older pods when they transmitted live sensor feeds to controllers and shooters.

F-16V brings Auto-GCAS, enhanced comms and a center pedestal display matched to the MMC 7000AH. For operators, the outcome is faster complex weapons preparation, clearer sensor fusion on the display and less cockpit workaround time. Poland confined avionics changes to Block 70/72-integrated hardware, cutting flight-test risk and hastening qualification of national weapons and data links.

Domestic industrial work and service-life management with cockpit safety upgrades

Most upgrade work will take place in Bydgoszcz at WZL-2. Two aircraft will go to the U.S. for tests and checks, then the remainder will pass through Polish lines, with deliveries to the air force spread from 2030 to 2038. The schedule avoids a deep availability dip and lets the air service keep squadron output steady as jets rotate through.

Structural work tied to the life-extension goal of 12,000 flight hours remains focused. The contract targets replacement of the canopy sill longeron stringers on 36 single-seat F-16C aircraft, an element flagged in structural integrity analysis. Broader airframe rebuilding was judged unnecessary after review of fleet condition data. This is a measured scope that saves time on the line while still meeting the life target set out in the modernization announcement.

Cockpit safety will step up with Martin-Baker’s US18E ejection seat, selected for Block 70/72 Vipers. The US18E borrows heavily from the F-35’s US16E and widens safe accommodation from roughly 103 to 245 pounds. It supports helmet-mounted displays and lowers maintenance via a modular design.

Poland’s modernization timeline came after the U.S. State Department cleared the potential sale in late 2024. Analysts then expected a larger ceiling amount, but the final Polish package settled at $3.8 billion with a clear workshare plan and a crisp return-to-service window.

According to industry sources, the aim is to field the first upgraded jets well before the end of the decade and then ramp steadily to avoid bottlenecks at WZL-2.

What the electronics mix delivers for operators:

Viper Shield EW suite integrated with APG-83, providing digital RWR, DRFM jamming, and streamlined pilot interface for faster countermeasures.

PAWS-2 missile warning adding high-resolution IR detection against SAM, AAM, and MANPADS threats, with precise launch geolocation.

MMC 7000AH mission computer and MS-110 recon pod enabling higher-fidelity multi-spectral ISR and smoother transition from DB-110 during the software crossover. 

Sniper ATP upgraded to DVI with Two-Way Data Link for cleaner full-motion video, retasking, and better coordination at the edge.
The net result for squadrons at Łask and Krzesiny is a familiar airframe with a modern backbone. Crews get improved detection, faster sensor-to-shooter workflow, and warning systems tuned to the threats Poland actually faces. Sustainment should be manageable because every major element has an existing integration path on the Block 70/72 baseline rather than bespoke hardware that would slow down certification and training. Our analysis shows this choice compresses risk on schedule and cost while still giving the fleet a genuine step up in capability.

Program context and near-term steps

Defense officials confirm the modernization program will begin in earnest in 2028. Before that, WZL-2 and Lockheed will line up tooling, spares, training syllabi and software baselines for both the jet and the pods. The first few aircraft will validate the work package, then throughput will increase as the line settles down.

There’s no shortage of attention on timelines and kit flow, but the fundamentals look sound. The LOA is complete. The prime and the local depot have worked together for years on F-16 sustainment. The electronics set is mature and fielded elsewhere. Poland’s crews already operate Sniper and DB-110, so the learning curve on the updated pods should be modest. If Poland sticks to the published sequence, the first jets should return to line units early in the next decade with the rest following across the eight years that remain on the schedule.

The upgrade won’t turn the F-16 into a different airplane, and it doesn’t need to. It gives Poland a coherent, networked Viper with a survivability suite and sensors matched to the region’s contested environment. Airframes cleared to 12,000 hours and improved seat safety let the air force plan Viper operations with less uncertainty while F-35 deliveries proceed.

REFERENCE SOURCES

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/poland-signs-38-billion-deal-upgrade-f-16-fighter-jets-2025-08-13/

https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-08-14

https://www.l3harris.com/newsroom/press-release/2025/08/poland-selects-l3harris-electronic-warfare-system-f-16-fleet

https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/heres-who-will-put-electronics-aboard-polands-f-16v-fleet/

https://martin-baker.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/US18E-2025-Data-Sheet.pdf

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/08/14/poland-awards-38-billion-f-16-modernization-deal-to-us/

https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/poland-signs-off-on-3-8-billion-f-16-fighter-jet-upgrade/

https://collinsaerospace.com/news/news/2022/08/collins-aerospace-completes-first-flight-of-next-generation-ms-110-sensor

https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/air/paris-air-show-2025-elbit-unveils-paws-2-missile-approach-warning-system-for-aircraft

https://www.twz.com/air/polands-f-16s-are-about-to-become-more-potent

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