Poland and GE Aerospace have agreed to establish depot-level maintenance support for the F404-GE-102 engines used by Poland’s KAI FA-50 Golden Eagle fleet. The arrangement is intended to create a comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul capability in cooperation with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze 2, Poland’s state aerospace company.The agreement supports Warsaw’s continued expansion of the FA-50 fleet, which is expected to reach 48 aircraft by early 2029. Twelve aircraft have been delivered so far. WZL-2 CEO Jakub Gazda said the cooperation would contribute to Poland’s objective of strengthening operational independence as its defence requirements evolve.GE said the agreement also reinforces its long-standing industrial presence in Poland. The company has operated in Europe for more than three decades and has approximately 2,300 employees and specialists spread across five Polish locations.The F404-GE-102 provides the propulsion performance required by the FA-50, enabling a maximum speed of around Mach 1.5, an operating ceiling of approximately 48,000 feet and a stated range of up to 1,000 nautical miles. GE said more than 4,000 engines from the F404 family have been delivered to customers worldwide since the engine entered service.The global F404-powered fleet has accumulated more than 13 million flight hours. Around 300 F404 engines are reportedly installed across FA-50 aircraft and related T-50 and TA-50 variants, making the establishment of local Polish engine support an important step in sustaining the growing fleet.
