An F-16 from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan crashed at Radom airport during preparations for an international airshow, killing the Polish Army pilot. The accident occurred at about 19:30 local time; firefighters responded and no bystanders were injured. Social media video showed the jet nose-diving and erupting into flames. Local reports indicate the pilot, a member of the NATO Tiger Demo unit, was not seen ejecting. AirSHOW Radom 2025 was cancelled. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz paid tribute to the officer. Poland has operated US-made F-16s since 2003 and is upgrading its fleet amid increased defence spending after Russia's 2023 invasion of Ukraine.
A Polish Army pilot died in the crash of an F-16 aircraft an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X after arriving at the crash scene at Radom airport, in central Poland. Firefighters rushed to the scene after the aircraft did not recover after barreling down the runway and hitting the ground.
Local reports state that the pilot, part of an elite group of NATO air units known as Tiger Demo, was not seen ejecting from the plane before the crash. The AirSHOW Radom 2025, which was due to take place this weekend, has been cancelled. Poland first bought US-made F-16s, a jet key to NATO's defence strategy, in 2003 and has since been in the process of upgrading its fleet amid its boosted defence spending in the wake of Russia's 2023 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
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