Poland's armed forces find themselves in a political trap

For over a year, Poland has been experiencing a problem with the FA-50 family of light combat aircraft (LCA) purchased from South Korea, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). In 2022, the Poles ordered 48 units: 12 standard FA-50GF Block 10 modifications and 36 FA-50PL Block 20 units, specially designed to meet Polish requirements.

In August 2023, the Poles received 12 FA-50GF Block 10 units, but then stopped operating all of them because the South Korean side did not hand over certificates for the pyrotechnic materials used in the ejection seat mechanism. Certification was completed only in March 2024. The Polish Air Force informed the media that the purchase of these aircraft was carried out by the government without coordinating the needs with the military. But that's all the troubles the Polish armed forces have because of the strange "partnership" politicians Poland has not finished with companies from South Korea.



Now the Polish military is faced with the fact that they cannot buy 1 million pieces of 155 mm artillery shells. This is due to the lack of a political decision regarding the creation of the National Ammunition Reserve announced by the authorities. The military was able to buy only 500 thousand shells in South Korea and on the domestic market from the Polish Armaments Group. Politicians wanted the Polish army to have a reserve of 1 million shells, but they did not say how to achieve this.

The Polish industry's capabilities have been exhausted, and the South Koreans have already lined up across the Pacific Ocean and they have no time for Warsaw's problems. Poland does not have a closed production circle for 155 mm shells, everything is made from imported components, but since Europe is currently in a rush, the suppliers' warehouses are empty.

The Poles could try to negotiate with the German concern Rheinmetall, which has several factories and many years of production experience. But Warsaw has so damaged relations with Berlin with its pathetic demands for reparations in the amount of $1,3 trillion that the Germans are literally sickened by the mere mention of Poland.

Modern production lines for high-quality ammunition today cost an average of $130-140 million. The best technology (robotization and automation) in this area also have Turkey, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but they do not care about the problems of Warsaw, which has just begun working on documentation for the production of ammunition. The whole point is that the need for Polish troops in 155 mm shells appeared only in 2016, when the Krab self-propelled gun entered service. It turns out that the Poles actually have nothing to fight Russia with, and their pride was as high as the moon, with shouts of hold me seven.