South Korean aerospace company, KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries), has introduced the first Polish-order FA-50GF light fighter jet from its manufacturing facility in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province on March 8, 2023.
It was shown that KAI employees carried out a quality inspection of the FA-50GF for the first export to Poland, in collaboration with the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality.
It was reported that the FA-50GF adopted the name 'Gap Filler' which means 'gap filler', in keeping with Poland's desire to quickly introduce the FA-50 to its Air Force.
These dozen FA-50GF aircraft will temporarily replace the MiG-29 (29 units) and Su-22 (18 units) in stages. Furthermore, Poland will receive a presence of 36 FA-50PL units.
Poland had previously signed a contract worth 4 trillion won with KAI for the purchase of 48 FA-50 aircraft in September 2022.
Furthermore, in November 2022, a down payment of around 1.2 trillion won was made.
The FA-50GF is equivalent to the TA-50 Block 10 light fighter while the FA-50PL is an upgraded variant to Block 20.
Air refueling equipment, active electronically scanned phased array (AESA) radar, external fuel tanks, and head-mounted display (HMD) will be installed on the FA-50PL.
KAI plans to complete deliveries of these 12 FA-50GF units by the end of 2023, starting with the first two deliveries in August.
Meanwhile, deliveries of 36 units of the FA-50PL variant for the first two units will begin in November 2025, until they are fully completed in September 2028.
The FA-50GF/PL light attack fighter jet is armed with AIM-9X Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, and is equipped with a targeting pod (TGP).
