Poland to upgrade entire F-16 fleet to F-16 Viper standard in $3.8B deal

Poland has signed a $3.8 billion contract to upgrade its fleet of 48 F-16C/D Block 52 multi-role combat aircraft to the advanced F-16V Block 72 configuration, enhancing the country’s airpower and interoperability with other Polish platforms such as the F-35 Lightning II, AH-64E Apache helicopters, and M1A2 Abrams tanks. 

The agreement was signed on August 13, 2025, at the Military Aviation Works No. 2 (WZL-2) in Bydgoszcz by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, with Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda also attending.  

The deal, concluded between the Polish and US governments, will see all modernization work carried out domestically at WZL-2, part of the state-owned Polish Armaments Group (PGZ). WZL-2 is Poland’s primary military aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul center, responsible for servicing F-16s, C-130 Hercules transports, and other NATO aircraft. 

Funded through US Foreign Military Financing 

(Credit: Polish Ministry of National Defence)The F-16V, also colloquially known as the “Viper,” will replace legacy systems with a new mission architecture centered around the AN/APG-83 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, offering enhanced detection ranges, the ability to track multiple targets simultaneously, and improved performance against low-observable threats. Upgrades will also include modernized avionics, enhanced communications and Link 16 datalink, advanced electronic warfare systems, friend-or-foe identification, helmet-mounted cueing, and compatibility with precision weapons such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AGM-158 JASSM. 

“Over 20 years ago, the choice of the F-16 was a very good decision,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, referring to Poland’s original Peace Sky program deliveries between 2006 and 2008. “The current C/D Block 52 capabilities are good, but insufficient for today’s threats. The modernization to Block 72 will ensure our aircraft remain a credible deterrent for decades to come.” 

The program will be financed in part through the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, under which Poland has secured $11 billion in favorable loan guarantees. The $3.8 billion F-16 modernization is one of several large-scale defense investments announced as Poland pushes to spend 5% of its GDP on defense by 2026. 

Domestic industry to benefit 

The first aircraft will enter modernization in 2028, with the program expected to conclude in 2038. In addition to aircraft upgrades, the deal covers improvements to ground infrastructure, simulators, and training systems. 

Deputy Minister Bejda emphasized that the project would strengthen Poland’s defense posture while delivering significant economic benefits. “This contract is important news for the military, for Poland, and for our security, but also for Bydgoszcz, for the employees of WZL-2 and their families,” Bejda said. 

The upgrade will not only extend the service life of Poland’s F-16 fleet well into the 2040s but also ensure full interoperability with NATO partners, an important factor as Poland continues to bolster its role on the Alliance’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. 

Once completed, the modernization will place Poland’s F-16s among the most advanced in NATO, matching the capabilities of new-build Block 72 aircraft operated by countries such as Slovakia. The post Poland to upgrade entire F-16 fleet to F-16 Viper standard in $3.8B deal appeared first on AeroTime.

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