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Poles Get F-16s
By John
Polish air force officials welcome the first of 48 F-16 Fighting Falcons Nov. 9 during an arrival ceremony at the 31st Air Base at Poznan, Poland. Gen. Tom Hobbins, representing the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, attended the ceremony that marked Poland's transformation from Soviet-style equipment to some of the most modern systems in Europe and NATO.
11/14/2006 - POZNAN, Poland (AFPN) -- The first F-16 Fighting Falcons acquired by the Polish air force arrived at the 31st Air Base here Nov. 9 and were featured at a special roll-out ceremony.
Gen. Tom Hobbins, Allied Air Component commander and U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, represented the Air Force chief of staff at the event which included speeches by the Polish president, as well as a blessing of the aircraft and consecration ceremony."Poland's acquisition of the F-16 cements the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the Polish air force for several decades to come," said General Hobbins. "This ceremony demonstrates that Poland has become a very powerful and more vital member of NATO than ever before."
The aircraft arrival marked a great leap forward for Poland as they transform from aging Soviet-style equipment to some of the most advanced systems in Europe and NATO, the general said. "
Okay, no "Polish Submarine" jokes as a follow on please.
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Comments
I agree. I wonder what version they are. I hear pilots prefer the Block 50s.
Block 50s don't have the helmet-mounted sights, do they?
They're probably lighter than Block 60+ though. Every revision gets heavier. Good thing the engines get more powerful too or else it would be a pig by now :)
I wonder what version ...
Poland's F-16s are considered the most advanced in NATO. Features of the Block 52+ include an AN/APG-68(V) 9 radar fire control system and a Sniper Extended Range pod, which is an advanced targeting pod designed with an infrared pointer, laser, day TV, forward looking infrared, laser spot tracker and advanced algorithms. The pod delivers superior tracking performance and reliability.
In addition, the multi-role fighter is equipped with a helmet-mounted cueing system used for directing precision-guided munitions and off-bore sight missiles as well as for increasing pilot situational awareness. The aircraft is designed to be fully interoperable with NATO and European Union missions.
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Love the paintjob they gave their Falcons. Sweet.