Poland has joined a long list of F-16 operators that have decided to upgrade their aging aircraft to the Block 70/72 ‘Viper’ standard. The decision comes even as the performance of the older F-16s, deployed for combat by Ukraine and Pakistan, has come under scrutiny in recent times.
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+ multi-role fighters from the United States between 2006 and 2008 under the “Peace Sky” program. These aircraft were among the most advanced F-16 variants in Europe at the time, featuring capabilities like advanced avionics and compatibility with precision-guided munitions. They have served well over the last two decades, even scrambled by the country multiple times since Russia invaded Ukraine.
However, the consensus in Poland is that these older F-16s have served their time. The Polish officials have stated on several occasions that while the jets remained capable, they are insufficient against modern threats such as low-observable targets, sophisticated electronic warfare, and integrated operations with more modern platforms like the F-35 that Poland has acquired to bolster its air power.
“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.”
Wielka umowa o wartości 3,8 miliardów dolarów na kompleksową modernizację polskich samolotów F-16 podpisana!
To ważny moment dla #WojskoPolskie, ale to też niezwykle ważna umowa dla naszego przemysłu zbrojeniowego i 🇵🇱 gospodarki. 48 samolotów wielozadaniowych F-16 będzie… pic.twitter.com/jpXgeEAidf
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) August 13, 2025
Poland signed a deal for the acquisition of F-35A Lightning II stealth aircraft in 2020. The first aircraft was rolled out in 2023, and the Polish pilots have been reportedly undergoing training on these mighty jets since January 2025.
The operation of F-16 and F-35, both produced by Lockheed Martin, will enhance the integration and combat efficacy of the Polish Air Force.
The upgrade has been under consideration for a while, particularly to enhance capabilities against Russia, and to improve NATO interoperability on the alliance’s eastern flank. 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, along with logistics, training, and program support.
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.
Moreover, 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. It is noteworthy that the GBU-39 and GBU-53 were specifically mentioned because neither aircraft is presently in use in Poland.
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. The staggering defense spending is expected to reach 5% of GDP by 2026.
Earlier, the Eastern European country ordered the FA-50 light fighters from South Korea and F-35A Husarz and AH-64E Apache helicopters from the United States to bolster its air power. Last year, the Polish government also committed to buying 32 multi-role fighter jets, with bids for F-15EX and Eurofighter Typhoon presented to it. The F-16 upgrade has been positioned as a complement to these capabilities, ensuring multi-domain integration.
The Polish announcement comes at a time when the F-16s have suffered a setback in the Ukraine War, as well as the latest conflict between India and Pakistan.
A Setback To Older F-16s
Earlier hailed as a game changer and a potential silver bullet by the Ukrainian administration, the F-16s have failed to tilt the war in Kyiv’s favour despite being the most advanced combat aircraft in its inventory alongside the French Mirage 2000.
The Ukrainian Air Force has so far lost at least four F-16s. The first F-16 crashed shortly after delivery in August 2024, followed by three additional incidents, the most recent of which occurred in late June 2025. Ukraine has attributed these crashes to technical failure, but Russian experts claim that the Ukrainian combat aircraft were hunted down by their air defense systems, as previously explained by the EurAsian Times.
However, experts believe that these losses have less to do with the F-16’s capability in general and more with the special circumstances in Ukraine. For one, the F-16s delivered to Ukraine are outdated, aging aircraft. Primarily older A/B models from Denmark and the Netherlands, they have had critical systems like the Link 16 datalink removed, reducing situational awareness and coordination.
Their AN/APG-66 radars are less capable than upgraded Russian systems, limiting engagement ranges to about one-third of Russian fighters’ capabilities when using R-37 missiles.
The losses have also been attributed to rushed pilot training and the cutting-edge capabilities of long-range Russian surface-to-air missiles, like the S-400 Triumf.
In addition to Ukraine, Pakistan is also believed to have lost an unspecified number of F-16 Fighting Falcons in combat against India during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
Though it has refused to admit any losses, the Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, recently disclosed that some parked US-made F-16 jets were damaged at the Jacobabad airbase when India targeted Pakistan’s military sites on May 10.
”Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield was one of the major airfields that was attacked. Here, there’s an F-16 hangar,” the IAF chief said. “One half of the hangar is gone. And I’m sure there were some aircraft inside that have been damaged there.’’ Additionally, five Pakistani fighter jets were downed by Indian surface-to-air missiles without naming the jets.
This would be the second time in the last decade that Pakistan lost a US-origin F-16 Fighting Falcon. India asserted that a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16 was shot down by an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 Bison piloted by Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Abhinandan Varthaman during the February 27, 2019 skirmish. Islamabad outrightly rejected the Indian claims.
Interestingly, the US has refused to answer questions on the recent Pakistani F-16 losses, referring them to Pakistan instead. The lack of an outright denial by Washington has been perceived as an admission of losses.
While the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a cornerstone of modern air forces since its introduction in the 1970s, has faced scrutiny following reported losses in Ukraine and alleged losses in Pakistan, the F-16’s reputation and its global demand remain largely intact, with no impact on the capability of the upgraded F-16 Viper and its sales.
The F-16 Viper Is A Beast
The F-16 Viper, or Block 70/72, is a 4++ generation aircraft. Besides Poland, several countries, including Greece, Taiwan, Slovakia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Turkey, the Philippines, and Morocco, have signed for the Viper variant in recent times. As per reports, Vietnam is also contemplating the acquisition of these cutting-edge fighter jets.
While some of these countries were users of older F-16s, others have decided to place orders for new Block 70 jets.
Despite being a 4++ generation fighter, the enhanced F-16V presents many advanced features courtesy of its upgraded avionics suite. The aircraft features the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) with its active electronically scanned array (AESA). The cutting-edge radar technology increases resilience to electronic countermeasures, improves target-spotting capabilities for low-signature objects like cruise missiles, and extends detection and engagement ranges.
The F-16V’s upgraded center pedestal display enhances tactical situational awareness by giving the pilot access to data gathered by the SABR and other sensors.
The upgrades include a sniper aiming pod, Link 16, a cueing system installed on the helmet, precise GPS navigation, enhanced weapon capability, an upgraded modular mission computer, and an Ethernet high-speed data network. The aircraft’s wings, fuselage, and landing gear have also received several structural upgrades that have improved their functionality and sustainability. Additionally, it allows for a higher takeoff and landing weight than its predecessor, the F-16 A/B variant.
The new F-16Vs have a 12,000-hour service life, in contrast to the 8,000-hour service life of previous F-16s.
The upgraded F-16V fleet also boasts increased versatility in its armament, with provisions for heavy weapon payloads. These weapons include the AGM-84 Harpoon missile, which is well-known for its capability in anti-shipping roles, as well as more advanced weapons like the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) for precision strikes and the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missile for defense suppression.
For countries like Taiwan and the Philippines, the F-16V is the greatest counter against the mighty Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), whereas for NATO countries like Poland, it will be a major asset against the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).
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