A Polish F-16 fighter jet met a fatal crash on Thursday during preparations for an air show in the central city of Radom, resulting in the pilot’s death, according to a government spokesperson.
Adam Szlapka shared the grim news on X, stating, “A tragic incident occurred in Radom during air show preparations when an F-16 jet crashed. Sadly, the pilot lost their life,” and noted that the defence minister was en route to the crash location.
The Polish military reported that the accident caused no injuries to individuals on the ground.
Footage released by Polish media depicted the jet executing an acrobatic maneuver before it plummeted onto the runway, engulfed in flames.
🚨🚨A Polish F-16 fighter jet met a fatal crash on Thursday during preparations for an air show in the central city of Radom, resulting in the pilot's death. pic.twitter.com/bWloEWb2dW
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) August 29, 2025
The Radom air show, located approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Warsaw, is still set to proceed this weekend.
Poland To Upgrade Its Fighting Falcons
Poland has joined a long list of F-16 operators that will upgrade their aging jets to the Block 70/72 ‘Viper’ standard.
Polish Defense Minister Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on August 13 that the country has signed a $3.8 billion contract for the mid-life upgrade of the Polish Air Force’s F-16 fleet.
As per the agreement, all 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft are to be upgraded to the F-16V Block 72 standard. The upgrade will take place at the Military Aviation Works No. 2 in Bydgoszcz, which has ties with the manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Poland acquired 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft from the United States between 2006 and 2008 under the “Peace Sky” program. These fighter jets were among the most advanced F-16 variants in Europe at the time.
Nevertheless, the prevailing opinion in Poland is that these aging F-16s have reached the end of their operational lifespan.
Polish authorities have repeatedly emphasized that, despite the jets’ current functionality, they fall short against contemporary challenges, including stealth targets, advanced electronic warfare, and coordinated missions with newer systems.
“The current capabilities of the F-16 in the CD version are good, but after 20 years, they are insufficient against threats,” the Polish Defense Minister stated. “We need to improve reconnaissance capabilities, communications, integration with the F-35 … as well as the ability to operate in any domain.”
In 2024, the US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) request from Poland for the F-16 Viper MLU, with an estimated maximum value of $7.3 billion. This package included upgrades to avionics, radars, electronic warfare systems, and support for weapons integration, as well as logistics, training, and program support.
The upgraded Polish F-16s will be armed with lethal weapons, such as the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Flight Test Vehicles, AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Special and Captive Air Training Missile, GBU53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) Guided Test Vehicles, and GBU-39(T-1)/B Guided Test Vehicles.
The FMS for the Viper upgrade would provide Poland with enhanced programmable display generators, AN/APX-126/127 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) with combined interrogator/transponder (CIT) and Mode 5, as well as the AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR).
Compared to the mechanically-scanned AN/APG-68 radars currently installed on Poland’s Vipers, SABR has significant advantages, including the capability to scan far more quickly, acquire more targets at greater distances, and generate more accurate and high-fidelity tracks, even for smaller and more covert objects.
The FMS upgrade package also includes Modular Mission Computer (MMC) 7000AH upgrades, AN/ALQ257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suites (IVEWS) or AN/ALQ-254V(1) Viper Shield advanced electronic warfare (EW) suites, Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS II), AN/APX-126/127 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) with combined interrogator/transponder (CIT) and Mode 5, among other things.
Notably, the F-16 mid-life upgrade to the Viper standard is the latest example of Poland’s defense spending binge, which has surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
By ET Desk with AFP Inputs
