Yes. But far better than what the Ukrainians have sitting around correct?
FWIW from WIKI
The first 12 MiG-29 (nine MiG-29As, three MiG-29UB) were delivered to Poland in 1989–1990. The aircraft were based at
Mińsk Mazowiecki and used by the 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was reorganized in 2001 as
1 Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego (
1. elt), or 1st Tactical Squadron (TS). In 1995–1996, 10 used examples were acquired from the Czech Republic (nine MiG-29As, one MiG-29UB). After the retirement of its MiG-23s in 1999, and MiG-21s in 2004, Poland was left for a time with only these 22 MiG-29s in the interceptor role.
Of the 22 MiG-29s Poland received from the
German Air Force in 2004, a total of 14 were overhauled and taken into service. They were used to equip the 41st Tactical Squadron (
41. elt), replacing its MiG-21s. As of 2008, Poland was the biggest NATO MiG-29 user. The possibility of modernizing the fighters to enable them to serve until 2020–2025 is being contemplated, depending on whether cooperation with Mikoyan can be established. Poland has 31 active MiG-29s (25 MiG-29As, 6 MiG-29UBs) as of 2017.
[111] They are stationed with the
1st Tactical Squadron at the
23rd Air Base near
Mińsk Mazowiecki and the
41st TS at the
22nd Air Base near
Malbork.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Poland had at one point leased a MiG-29 from its own inventory to Israel for evaluation and the aircraft has since been returned to Poland, as suggested by photographs of a MiG-29 in Israeli use. Three Polish MiG-29A were reported in Israel for evaluation between April and May 1997 at
Negev desert.[
citation needed] On 7 September 2011, the
Polish Air Force awarded a contract to the WZL 2 company to modernise its MiG-29 fleet to be compatible with Polish F-16s.
[112]
Four MiG-29s from 1. elt performed
Baltic Air Policing Quick Reaction Alert mission in 2006, while 41. elt aircraft in 2008, 2010 and 2012. Polish MiG-29s played the aggressor role in NATO Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) joint training program in
Albacete, Spain in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
[113]
On 18 December 2017, a MiG-29 crash-landed in a forest near
23rd Air Base while performing a landing approach.
[114] The pilot did not eject, but survived the crash with minor injuries. This was the first crash of a MiG-29 during its nearly three decades long operational history in the Polish Air Force.
[115] On 6 July 2018, another MiG-29 crashed near
Pasłęk, with its pilot dying in an ejection attempt. Technical issues are suspected to have played a role in the crash.
[116] Another crash followed on 4 March 2019. This time the pilot ejected and survived.
[117]
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