Gyeryong: Chiefs of the South Korean and Polish air forces met Tuesday to discuss ways to strengthen their defense and arms cooperation, the South's Air Force said, following Warsaw's purchase of South Korean fighter jets.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su and Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak, inspector of the Polish Air Force, held talks at Lee's office in Gyeryong, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul. "Through the talks, we could strengthen defense cooperation between our forces such as sharing operational know-how of the FA-50 fighter jet and discussing ways to enhance personnel exchange," Lee said.
The talks took place as Nowak arrived in South Korea on Monday for a six-day visit that will also take him to the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing, where Polish pilots are training, and South Korean defense firm Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Co.
As part of his itinerary, Nowak will visit KAI for a test flight on the KF-21 fighter jet prototype and hold talks with the head of the state arms procurement agency and the chief of KAI to discuss follow-up measures for the FA-50 deal.
In 2022, Poland signed an agreement with KAI to acquire 48 FA-50 fighters. The country's Air Force has deployed 12 FA-50GF as of 2024 and plans to additionally introduce 36 FA-50PL in phases.