Speaking on the air on Polskie Radio, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said that he was hoping to accelerate talks with the United States on the purchase of F-35 stealth fighters.
"I've spoken on the issue with my US counterpart Patrick Shanahan and the producer, Lockheed Martin. This will take several years, but we're on a good path to accelerating the process," Blaszczak said, commenting on the dates of supply.
29 May 2019, 03:45 GMT
The cabinet minister further noted that the aircraft will be purchased in reliance upon an agreement with the US — that is to say, Washington announces the maximum price of the contract first and then the sides will negotiate the deal.
In March 2019, Blaszczak signed a framework for the technical modernisation of the country's armed forces by 2026. Poland plans to replace its Soviet-era Su-22 and MiG-29 warplanes for 32 US-made F-35s.
