US Ambassador to Poland Lee Feinstein last week presented the fifth and final C-130E to the Polish air force in a ceremony at Powidz Air Base in central Poland. “Today is a powerful example of the strong and vibrant relationship between Poland and the United States,” said Feinstein in his remarks on Aug. 22. “Poland has gained a tactical airlift capability . . . and has increased its interoperability with the United States and NATO,” he added. The United States contributed $120 million to refurbish and upgrade the ex-Air Force airframes to current standards, in addition to the $34.5 million fronted by Poland, said Feinstein. “Our partnership in the C-130 program is a fine example of how our day-to-day security cooperation continues to grow,” he noted. “In a few weeks, we’ll take another important step” deploying Air Force F-16s and C-130s to Lask Air Base, forming the “first continuous presence” of US forces in Poland, he said. Air Force pilots delivered the first Polish C-130 in March 2009. (Polish Ministry of National Defense release) (US Embassy release) (See also US, Poland Sign Agreement on Air Detachment.)
F-15s, F-16s, C-130s Deploy for Exercise in Poland
April 19, 2021
USAF F-15s, F-16s, and C-130s are training in Poland in an agile combat employment exercise that comes as Russia has executed a massive buildup on the border with neighboring Ukraine, though U.S. officials say the exercise was long-planned. F-15Es from the 492nd Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England; F-16s from…