Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has successfully completed the delivery of 12 FA-50GFs to Poland, one year and three months after signing an export contract with the country.
KAI, which signed a contract with Poland in September 2022 to export 48 FA-50s, fulfilled the contract by delivering the first and second FA-50GFs to Minsk Air Base in Poland in July this year, followed by the 12th FA-50GF to the Polish Air Force without a single error.
As a result, KAI has delivered 12 of the 48 aircraft in the Polish contract, and the remaining 36 will be developed into the FA-50PL variant to meet the Polish Air Force's requirements and delivered between 2025 and 2028.
The Polish export version of the FA-50GF made its maiden flight in the European skies on Polish Armed Forces Day (August 15) and has since participated in major events such as the Radom Air Show and NATO Days, garnering attention as a key replacement for the MiG-29, Poland's flagship fighter aircraft.
"The delivery of 12 FA-50GFs to Poland within the year was achieved thanks to the active cooperation between the Korean and Polish governments," said KAI President Kang Koo-young. "Based on KAI's outstanding technology and production capabilities, we will expand defense cooperation with Poland and further contribute to strengthening air power."
KAI plans to use Poland as a marketing base to expand the FA-50's European market, as well as to expand beyond Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa to the U.S. market, the home of the aviation industry.
The company is currently focusing on marketing in Egypt, a key point of security strategy in Africa, and is also challenging to enter the U.S. market for 500 aircraft.
Meanwhile, based on the FA-50's export achievements and stable operational performance so far, KAI plans to expand its marketing activities in earnest in 2024 to expand overseas markets not only for the FA-50, but also for various models such as the KF-21, Surion, and small armed helicopters so that the reliability of domestic aircraft can be highly recognized in the global market.
