Poland will gradually phase out its MiG-29 fighter jets
The Polish MiG-29 fighter jets, which were previously being considered for possible transfer to Ukraine, will gradually be phased out of the Polish Armed Forces.
The Polish Ministry of Defence has stated that this decision was prompted by the aircraft having reached the end of their service life, as well as the lack of prospects for their further modernisation.
“As these aircraft have reached the end of their service life and there are no prospects for further modernisation within the Polish Armed Forces, they will be phased out of service,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry of Defence has not disclosed specific timelines for the withdrawal of the aircraft. It emphasised that this information is classified.
Separately, the issue of the future operation of the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, where the MiG-29s are based, is being raised in Poland. The airfield is currently also being used as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission to safeguard airspace.
The Ministry has given assurances that the base will continue to operate even after the MiGs are decommissioned. It will provide support for helicopters, aircraft and allied units.
Poland had previously considered transferring the MiG-29s to Ukraine, but this did not happen due to a lack of agreement between Warsaw and Kyiv regarding an exchange of the aircraft for Ukrainian drone technology.
Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, Paweł Zalevski, had previously stated that Ukraine is currently not interested in receiving Polish MiG-29s without prior modernisation, whilst Warsaw is not prepared to fund the refurbishment of these aircraft.
At the same time, Poland is continuing negotiations with Ukraine on the transfer of modern drone technology under the European SAFE mechanism.
