Poland's Ministry of Defense is negotiating the sale of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. This step is related to the expiration of the operational life of aircraft in the Polish Air Force and the lack of need for their further modernization. Information about this has been published in the press.
Redaksiya reports, citing Unian, that the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces previously disseminated information about this on its page on the "X" social network. According to the information, this is due to the expiration of the operational life of the fighters and the absence of prospects for their future modernization within the Polish armed forces. In exchange for the aircraft, Poland wants to acquire certain technologies from Ukraine in the field of unmanned systems and missiles.
Furthermore, the publication emphasizes that information about the modernization of Polish MiG-29s to NATO standards does not mean that Western missiles or other weapons have been integrated into them. The discussion concerns communication, navigation, and other related systems that need to be compatible. The publication states that negotiations regarding the transfer of MiG-29s began a long time ago. Journalists recall that in April 2023, Poland sent the first fighters to Ukraine, 14 aircraft. In total, there were 14 more aircraft in the Polish Air Force, but they were of a different version. The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces added that F-16 and FA-50 aircraft will perform the duties of the decommissioned MiG-29 aircraft. However, it is reported that negotiations are underway with the Ukrainian side regarding the transfer of certain technologies in the field of drones and missile systems to Poland. The publication believes that this indicates that these fighters will be able to perform the same tasks as the MiG-29s that Ukraine already possesses. Journalists added that the Poles themselves wanted to operate these fighters until 2026. The publication states that the MiG-29s from Poland previously given to Ukraine were from the 22nd Air Base in Malbork. They were provided by the Czech Republic and Germany in the 1990s and have not undergone significant upgrades and modernization since then.
It has been confirmed that negotiations are underway in Poland regarding the possible sale of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. The publication "Defense Express" has provided information about how many aircraft Warsaw can sell to our country, their condition, versions, and capabilities. According to the publication, the fighters in question are located at the 23rd Air Base in Minsk-Mazowiecki. It is reported that these are 11 single-seat and 3 two-seat MiG-29s, which underwent modernization between 2011-2014. The publication added that these MiG-29s received onboard computers and displays in the cockpit, as well as new navigation and communication systems. In terms of modernization level, they are similar to the Slovak MiG-29AS handed over in 2023.