Poland to Co-operate with Russia on MiG-29 Overhauls

As Polish Deputy Defence Minister for Procurement, Mr Janusz Zemke, stated on September 18, 2002, a Polish-Russian agreement on co-operation in an overhaul and upgrade programme for Polish Air Force-operated MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters would be signed soon. The agreement would basically guarantee constant availability of spare parts for the Polish aircraft, of which 22 are already in service with the 1st Tactical Squadron (1 ELT) at Minsk Mazowiecki, to be followed next year by another 23 examples donated to Poland by Germany. The agreement was expected to be signed immediately after an informal NATO defence ministers meeting planned for September 24-25, 2002 in Warsaw. The Russian Defence Minister, Mr Sergey Ivanov was to participate in the concluding stages of this meeting. Based on unofficial information, the agreement would include a contract of unspecified details to be set between the RSK MiG company and the Bydgoszcz-based WZL-2 military aviation repair plant, currently the exclusive facility charged with the overhaul of Polish Air Force Fulcrums.
Date Added : Monday, October 21, 2002

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