Residents of several Polish cities heard the roar of F-35 fighter engines as the first three jets delivered to Poland staged a ceremonial flypast over Gdańsk, Warsaw, Kraków and Łódź, Euronews reports.
For the first time, Poles were able to see the most advanced fighter jets, which in the coming years will become one of the pillars of the country's military aviation.
Three fifth-generation F-35 aircraft, nicknamed "Husarz," performed a ceremonial flypast over Poland’s largest cities as part of the "Welcome to Poland" operation.
The event preceded the official ceremony to induct the jets into the Polish Armed Forces at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask.
The fighters took off in the morning from the base in Łask and began their demonstration flight, intended to give residents a chance to see the Polish army’s new hardware up close.
"This is the day we have been waiting for for years! Today Poland welcomes its F-35 'Husarz,'" Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on social media.
The first point on the route was Gdańsk, where at around 9.45 am the jets appeared over the historic Westerplatte peninsula.
The F-35s then headed for Warsaw and at around 10.10 am flew along the Vistula at the height of the Warsaw Citadel.
The next leg of the journey was Kraków, where at around 10.35 am the aircraft could be seen above the Vistula near Wawel Hill.
The last city included in the display was Łódź, where at around 11.05 am the jets flew over the Lviv Airmen Roundabout before turning back towards the Łask airfield.
The flypast aroused huge interest among residents. Videos and photos taken by spectators appeared on social media almost immediately.
The flight was not only symbolic; it was also part of a training exercise.
