Historic moment in US skies – Polish F-35A performs first aerial refueling
A significant event in military aviation took place over northern Arkansas, where a Polish F-35A Lightning II fighter performed its first aerial refueling from an American KC-135 Stratotanker. This operation became an important step in strengthening the military partnership between the US and Poland.
Successful integration of Polish aviation with NATO forces
The historic aerial operation, which became a milestone for Polish-American military cooperation, successfully concluded on March 6 in the skies over the US. The Polish F-35A fighter, based at Ebbing Air Base in Fort Smith, performed its first-ever refueling from an American KC-135 tanker from the 126th Air Refueling Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard.
This mission was the result of six months of careful preparation and planning, demonstrating a high level of coordination between NATO allies. The significance of the event is emphasized by the fact that it is part of a large-scale training program for Polish pilots that has been ongoing since 2018.
“This is an important step in developing our joint operational capabilities,” commented Lieutenant Colonel Tony Meyers, emphasizing the strategic importance of such interaction for the alliance.
The successful operation also has symbolic significance, strengthening the historical ties between the state of Illinois, home to a significant Polish community, and Poland. This event marks a new stage in the development of both countries’ air forces and demonstrates the growing potential of Polish military aviation within NATO’s structure.
The successful completion of the first refueling of the Polish F-35A demonstrates the high level of integration of the Polish Air Force with NATO forces and opens new opportunities for joint operations in the future. This event underscores the importance of international military cooperation and the continuous improvement of allies’ combat capabilities.
