Poles refused to place American F-35s near Russia

July 28 2020 5

The Polish Ministry of National Defense has refused to deploy the fifth-generation American F-35 Lightning II fighter-bombers near Russia and Belarus, writes the Polish publication Defense24.

Warsaw fears that the deployment of the latest aircraft near the Russian and Belarusian borders is unsafe, primarily for the Polish Air Force. Initially, the military planned to place the F-35A in Malbork, 80 km from the Kaliningrad region (Russia) and Minsk-Mazovetsky, 160 km from Brest (Belarus), but now they changed their minds.

The Polish military concluded that at such a distance, the F-35A would not only be very vulnerable to a surprise strike, but would also become a source of information for the Russians. According to the Poles, the "potential enemy" will not miss the opportunity to start studying the radar and infrared signatures of the "invisible". Therefore, these aircraft need to be located in a safer place.

As a result, Warsaw came to the conclusion that it is best to base the F-35A near Svidvin in the north-west of the country near the border with Germany. The local airfield, which retains Soviet infrastructure, will have to be modernized, but it is much cheaper than building a new airbase.

We remind you that in August 2019, the United States approved the sale of 32 F-35A to Poland for $ 4,6 billion.They should replace the MiG-29 and Su-22 of the Polish Air Force. Staff training in the United States will begin in 2024. The first F-35A should appear in Poland in 2026. The price of each aircraft is $ 87 million. The contract price also includes the supply of simulators.

The danger of these aircraft lies in the fact that they are carriers of B-61-12 nuclear weapons. Therefore, the "spread" of such aircraft in European countries poses a threat to Russia, given the systematic violations by the United States of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

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123

+2

28 July 2020 16: 22

Warsaw fears that the deployment of the latest aircraft near the Russian and Belarusian borders is unsafe, primarily for the Polish Air Force. Initially, the military planned to place the F-35A in Malbork, 80 km from the Kaliningrad region (Russia) and Minsk-Mazovetsky, 160 km from Brest (Belarus), but changed their minds.

From Bagrationovsk, Kaliningrad region within a radius of 500 km. Wroclaw and Krakow, and Germany almost to Berlin. Maybe they will think a bit more and place them in Spain?
Dear sofa expert.

+3

28 July 2020 17: 41

Correct solution!
F-35 aircraft are not strong in close combat. Europe is small. The Poles will have to first escape with them to the Atlantic so that the planes become "invisible", and then from there they will already use all the other trump advantages of these "miracle birds". )
Sergey Latyshev

-1

28 July 2020 23: 58

Basically, yes, the right decision.
Bulanov

+1

29 July 2020 10: 55

You can eavesdrop and spy from the stratosphere or near space. Now you can’t hide anything from the enemy.
Bitter

+1

30 July 2020 10: 49

The local airfield, which has preserved the Soviet infrastructure ..

What a unique! Even at Russian airfields, this has not survived, as well as many airfields, however, too.

Therefore, the "spread" of such aircraft in European countries is dangerous ...

But this is not a military secret, everyone knows how much and for how much, as well as to whom these potential carriers of nuclear weapons in Europe will be delivered.

Therefore, these aircraft need to be located in a safer place.

From the American side it is quite logical the front line should first of all be barricades of Polish aircraft. So, most likely, the Americans themselves chose the places where the F-35 should "creep away", and the Poles only have to approve their choice. Therefore, the Polish edition of Defense24 is trying not only to help save face for its ministry, but also to show it to those who care about their allies.