USA Approves Integration of AIM-120 Missiles on Polish FA-50PL Fighters
The US government has granted permission to integrate AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles with Polish FA-50PL light fighters.
This was reported by the publication Zbiam, citing an interview with Irenaeusz Nowak, Deputy Commander of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.
According to the general, the US has authorized the use of AIM-120C-5/7/8 variants, which are the same missiles Poland previously purchased for its F-16C/D fleet.
According to the military official, discussions are still ongoing regarding whether the integration will be carried out under the Foreign Military Sales program, which involves procurement through the US government, or through Direct Commercial Sales (DCS).
Although political approval is only the first step toward integrating the new missiles onto Polish light fighters, it largely alleviates concerns that the promising aircraft might be left without a “long reach.” Previously, only short-range AIM-9X missiles could be mounted on the aircraft.
General Nowak stated that Poland is also considering integrating the aircraft with high-precision air-to-ground weapons — MBDA’s Brimstone anti-tank missiles, as well as Anduril’s Barracuda 500 light cruise missiles, which are planned to be localized in Poland.
As General Novak noted, according to the revised schedule, testing is currently underway in the Republic of Korea—specifically, a series of in-flight refueling exercises were conducted using a Republic of Korea Air Force Airbus A330MRTT.
In early 2026 it was reported that the Polish Armaments Agency and Korea Aerospace Industries had officially revised the FA-50PL delivery schedule, postponing the start of deliveries until mid-2027.
Under the initial plans, the aircraft were to be delivered between 2025 and 2028. According to the updated schedule, the first FA-50PL is expected in mid-2027, with delivery of all 36 aircraft to be completed by early 2029.
The delay is attributed to a combination of factors, including supply chain issues, the integration of advanced avionics and American weaponry, as well as the “geopolitical situation.”
The FA-50PL is being developed as a significantly more powerful platform compared to the existing FA-50GF, taking into account Poland’s requirements. Key innovations include a new PhantomStrike active phased array radar from Raytheon, an in-flight refueling system, the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, a helmet-mounted display (HMD), increased external fuel capacity, and the capability to use AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.
In addition to the delay in the delivery of the FA-50PL, initial plans also called for the upgrade of 12 FA-50GF aircraft to the FA-50GL configuration.
However, by the end of 2025, it became known that the upgrade had been deemed “economically unfeasible,” and these aircraft will be used primarily for pilot training.
