Polish F-35A completes first test flight from Italy's Cameri plant

Poland's first F-35A fighter jet, serial 3517, built at the Final Assembly and Checkout facility in Cameri, Italy, performed its maiden test flight. The flight verified engine, avionics and flight control systems before the aircraft is handed over to the Polish Air Force.

The aircraft is part of a $4.6 billion contract for 32 Lockheed Martin F‑35A jets, with half manufactured in Fort Worth, Texas, and the other half assembled at the Cameri plant operated by Leonardo and Lockheed Martin. Deliveries to Poland began in 2025, with the first three aircraft arriving at the Łask base, and the full fleet is slated for completion by 2029‑2030. The test flight was photographed by an Italian photographer and is seen as a clear sign that the program is on schedule.

Poland intends to replace its aging MiG‑29 and Su‑22 fleet with the new stealth fighters, adding modern air‑to‑air missiles such as AMRAAM, Sidewinder and JASSM‑ER to its arsenal.