Poland has decided to transfer its remaining MiG-29s to Ukraine, with talks underway for the delivery of the first batch, in exchange for know-how on drone technology.
The Polish government confirmed it plans to transfer the Polish Air Force’s MiG-29 Fulcrums to Ukraine, following talks between the two countries. The development, announced by Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski to the Polish news channel TVP World and reported by Polish news outlet Interia, follows the disclosure in December 2025 of the ongoing negotiations by the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.
As we reported here at The Aviationist on that occasion, the statement specified that the MiG-29 transfer is “related to the aircraft reaching their target operational lifespans and the lack of prospects for their further modernization within the Polish Armed Forces.” The military however stressed that this will not cause a capability gap as the roles of the MiG-29 fleet will be taken over by the F-16 and FA-50.
W tej spokojnej i niezwykle chwili, którą tym razem to… ja mogłem wykreować, gdzie harmonia światła i przestrzeni pozwalała dostrzec w lotnictwie nie tylko technikę… lecz także subtelne piękno ulotnych momentów ✨✈️#gawronsky #MiG29 #AviationPhotography #PolishAirForce pic.twitter.com/7uZDbxHtIU
— gawronsky.com (@m_gawronski) December 2, 2025
The Transfer
After previous transfers of MiG-29s in 2023 and 2024, Poland has still 14 airframes in service, according to statements by Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, with reports further specifying 11 are single-seater jets and the remaining three are twin-seater jets. In 2022, at the start of the war in Ukraine, Poland operated a fleet of 28 MiG-29s.
Poland previously stated its will to transfer the entire fleet to Ukraine, with the aircraft replaced by F-35s and FA-50s. With the aircraft now being delivered, the country’s air force can transfer the remaining Fulcrums without capability gaps.
According to Deputy Minister of Defense Paweł Zalewski, technical talks are currently underway with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense concerning logistics, maintenance and the transfer of the aircraft. It appears the aircraft will be transferred in two batches, with the first including “fewer than ten” aircraft.
The MiG-29 Fulcrum has a strategic importance for the Ukrainian Air Force, as its pilots can operate it as immediately after delivery, without further training. This is not true for other types such as the F-16, which requires pilots to go abroad for training, reducing the number of pilots on the frontlines.
MiG-29 of the Ukrainian Air Force pic.twitter.com/wojHrpdbj0
— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) December 24, 2025
As previously mentioned in December 2025, Poland will receive know-how on drone and missile technology by Ukraine in exchange for the MiG-29s. “The goal is not only to compensate for the loss of equipment, but primarily to acquire and jointly develop new defense and industrial competencies,” read the statement in December.
Previous Transfers
In 2022, Poland negotiated the transfer of the MiG-29s via the U.S. government. The initial proposal was to move all Polish MiG-29s to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from where the U.S. would make them available to Ukraine.
In exchange, Poland asked for the supply of second-hand aircraft to replace the capabilities it would lose by giving away the MiGs. That transfer ultimately did not take place, as the Pentagon later said it would not support it, after initially saying it would give the green light.
A year later, in March 2023, Poland became the first country to donate aircraft to Ukraine when Polish President Andrzej Duda announced the transfer of four MiG-29s. A month later, the German government gave Poland the go ahead to transfer five MiG-29s to Ukraine.
Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 releasing AASM-HAMMER guided bombs pic.twitter.com/1H9TDcMas9
— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) June 18, 2025
The German approval was required because the aircraft were part of the MiG-29Gs formerly operated by the East German Armed Forces and sold to Poland in 2003. In fact, Poland, which earlier owned NATO’s largest MiG-29 fleet, acquired its Fulcrums from different sources.
In 1989, Poland acquired its first 12 MiG-29, a mix of nine single-seater MiG-29 9.12 and twin-seater MiG-29UB jets. The fleet was first increased starting from 1995 with the acquisition of 10 more aircraft – nine 9.12s and one UB – from the Czech Republic.
We are working pic.twitter.com/2MoBFRbrKr
— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) July 16, 2025
Then, in 2003, Poland acquired for the symbolic price of €1 per aircraft 22 upgraded German MiG-29s, of which 18 single-seaters and four twin-seaters. Poland then launched in 2011 an upgrade program for its MiG-29s to better integrate with the F-16.
Some of these upgraded aircraft were also seen in Ukrainian videos of the Fulcrum’s combat employment. Ukraine is currently reported to have around 40 MiG-29s serving in three brigades, with the type being the most numerous in service.
