Polish air force identifies strategic need for US Av-Det

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LASK AIR BASE, Poland --  The commander of the Polish air force visited U.S. service members here as part of an operations tour of Detachment 1, 52nd Operations Group July 17, 2013.

Lt. Gen. Lech Majewski met and spoke with aviation detachment leadership and Aviano Air Base, Italy, Airmen who are the third overall aircraft rotation to the two-week training course.

"It's a very important thing for us," Majewski said. "It's the next level of cooperation. We have a great opportunity to meet and share our experiences and train together on the ground and in the air."

The Polish military has employed the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft for less than 10 years and have since begun developing their tactics and capabilities. The F-16 aircraft entered the U.S. arsenal in 1979, and Aviano pilots have flown the airframe since 1994. The two nations have shared experiences with the activation of the detachment last year.

Majewski toured the facility occupied by the 510th Fighter Squadron and walked along the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. He thanked both the pilots and ground crews for their continuing contributions to develop and improve allied air readiness.

"The best way to cooperate is to fly together," he said, "and this is one of the best places to do it. Thank you for coming to Poland."