South Korea delivers defective FA-50 aircraft to Poland

South Korea has delivered FA-50 combat trainer aircraft to Poland that are reportedly unsuitable for military operations, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk said.

Tomczyk revealed that while Poland initially pursued the acquisition of the FA-50s from South Korea with the expectation of receiving operational aircraft, it subsequently emerged that the armaments intended for these aircraft had been discontinued. As a result, the Polish Ministry of Defence has received 12 aircraft that are no longer capable of fulfilling combat roles, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

"This situation may mark the world's first instance of combat trainer aircraft being rendered entirely non-combat capable," Tomczyk remarked.

The original plan involved Poland acquiring the aircraft and negotiating the terms for the associated weaponry at a later stage. However, the cessation of production for the necessary armaments has compromised the operational utility of the FA-50s, leaving Poland with aircraft that are ineffective for their intended military purposes.

The agreement to buy FA-50 combat trainer aircraft was signed on June 20 by the heads of Polish company WZL Nr. 2 and the South Korean aircraft supplier and manufacturer Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), in the presence of Polish and South Korean officials.

The FA-50 is a South Korean light twin-seat combat aircraft. Its primary armament is a 20mm cannon and various underslung weapons, including, for example, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, and several types of aerial bombs.