KAI inks support deals for exported fighter jets to Poland

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), the country’s sole military aircraft manufacturer, agreed with Polish companies on follow-up support measures for fighter jets exported to the Central European country amid growing concerns that a series of multibillion-dollar arms deals between the two nations may be at risk due to a change of government in Warsaw.

KAI on Dec. 11 inked memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to set up a follow-on support program for the FA-50 light fighter jets with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 S.A. (WZL-2) and WCBKT S.A. -- subsidiaries of the Polish state-run defense group Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. (PGZ).

WZL-2 provides comprehensive servicing and modernization works for the Polish Air Force platforms, while WCBKT designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of ground support equipment for the country’s armed forces.

The MOUs established a stable support system framework for 30-40 years, the life cycle of the FA-50s to be delivered to Poland, beyond the deliveries of the fighter jets, KAI said on Thursday.

ARMS DEALS AT RISK

The South Korean company started deliveries of the warplanes to the country after reaching a $3 billion agreement with Skarb Panstwa-Agencja Uzbrojenia, the Polish armaments agency, in September 2022 to export 48 units of the FA-50 and provide related services including technical support.

Defense industry sources in Seoul were concerned that the deal, along with other contracts for South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Co. and Hanwha Aerospace Co., may be in jeopardy as Poland’s coalition of opposition parties, which won a combined majority in the country's elections in October, warned that it may nullify some of the arms deals between the two countries.

Despite these concerns , KAI said it plans to establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) system with WZL-2 for the FA-50. The two companies also agreed on long-term cooperation in various sectors such as the renovation of the FA-50PL, the light fighter jet model for Poland.

KAI and WCBKT have decided to collaborate on the development and purchase of supporting equipment for the FA-50.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
 
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.