Polish Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft landed in Kuwait on 5 July, their first-ever deployment on a foreign combat mission.
The four aircraft form part of two Polish military contingents being sent to Kuwait and Iraq to support the US-led Operation ‘Inherent Resolve’ against the Islamic State.
The Kuwait contingent, known as PKW Kuwait, involves F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft plus 150 personnel. The aircraft are equipped with the DB-110 tactical dual-band, day/night reconnaissance system. PKW Kuwait’s main goal is to provide aerial reconnaissance for the ‘Inherit Resolve’ operation. The aircraft were refuelled en route by a KC-10 tanker aircraft from the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
The 60-strong PKW Iraq contingent meanwhile will be built around a special forces unit (POLSF Task Force) that will coach and train Iraqi special forces personnel and staff. The support and logistics elements of PKW Iraq are deploying first to Jordan and then to Iraq between 3-11 July.
Poland’s support for ‘Inherent Resolve’ was approved on 17 June by Polish president Andrzej Duda. The first 29 personnel left Poland on 20 June on board a C-130E Hercules. The authorisation runs for six months, between 20 June and 31 December.
The approved cost of deployment of PKW Kuwait is PLN30 million (USD7.82 million) and PKW Iraq is PLN22 million.
Under the Polish law, the military contingents can be deployed only for a six months. After that period the Polish president has to sign another decision to extend the PKW timespan for another half-a-year.
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