GE Aerospace and Poland’s Military Aviation Works (WZL-2) have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the development of maintenance, repair and overhaul and depot-level maintenance capabilities for the F404-GE-102 engine powering Poland’s KAI FA-50 fighter jets.
The agreement was announced at the MSPO international defence industry exhibition in Kielce, Poland.
Under the agreement, the companies will assess the requirements needed to establish F404-GE-102 engine maintenance capabilities at WZL-2.
Poland ordered 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea’s KAI in 2022. The first 12 aircraft, in the FA-50GF, or “Gap Filler”, configuration, were delivered in 2023, while the remaining 36 are to be delivered in the FA-50PL configuration.
The planned support arrangement would cover the 48 F404-GE-102 engines associated with the aircraft order, as well as spare engines.
GE Aerospace said more than 4,000 F404 engines have been delivered worldwide and have accumulated more than 13 million flight hours. About 300 F404 engines power the T-50, TA-50 and FA-50 Golden Eagle aircraft produced in South Korea.
