Polish Su-22 Farewell - Miroslawiec, Poland
Farewell to the Sukhoi Su-22 from the European Skies
After more than forty years of honorable service, the Polish Air Force has said goodbye to it’s legendary Sukhoi Su-22, known by its NATO codename “Fitter.”
The last operational flight took place on September 11, 2025, marking the closure of a significant chapter in Polish military history and the end of an era when Soviet-designed jets dominated the skies of Europe.
Forty years of history
Poland received its first Su-22s in the mid-1980s, when it was still part of the Warsaw Pact.
In total, around ninety single-seat Su-22M4s and about twenty two-seat Su-22UM3Ks for training entered in service with the Polish Air Force.
These aircraft were known for their ruggedness, designed to operate from semi-prepared runways and under difficult conditions, with a primary role in ground attack and tactical reconnaissance.
After the fall of the Soviet bloc and Poland’s entry into NATO in 1999, the Su-22 continued to fly, trying to adapt to new Western standards.
Despite its age and Soviet origins, the jet remained useful for training, simulation, and attack missions.
In 2015, to extend its operational life, 18 aircraft underwent a modernization program that introduced new NATO-compatible communication systems, GPS, and a modern IFF system.
A long expected farewell
The retirement of the Su-22 was certainly no surprise.
In recent years, Poland had already planned to replace its attack aircraft with more advanced models, such as the KAI FA-50 from South Korea.
The last Su-22s, which operated mainly from Mirosławiec, continued to fly until just a few days before the official farewell ceremony held between September 10 and 11, 2025.
On that occasion three Su-22UM3Ks and one Su-22M4 took off, attracting aviation enthusiasts and photographers from all over Europe. On the eve of retirement only about ten aircraft were still in active service (eight single-seaters and three twin-seaters), but their value had become more symbolic than practical.
Although reliable and robust, the Su-22 could no longer keep up with the demands of modern warfare: obsolete avionics, limited armament, and difficulties in obtaining spare parts made its retirement inevitable.
The end of the Su-22’s career represents much more than a simple replacement of equipment.
It marks the definitive “death” of this magnificent aircraft’s flights over European skies.
The “Fitter” accompanied Poland through a historic transformation, from the Cold War to the Atlantic Alliance, always maintaining an operational role, even as the world around it changed dramatically.
For the pilots and technicians who served it for decades, the Su-22 remains a special aircraft.
It was not the most refined, not the easiest to fly, but it was tough, powerful, and above all, versatile.
Its variable-geometry wing, a distinctive feature of its design, allowed it to adapt to different flight conditions, combining short takeoff capability with supersonic performance.
A look towards the future
With the retirement of the Su-22, Poland takes a significant step forward in modernizing it’s air force.
Today, the fleet is evolving toward more advanced systems: alongside the already mentioned FA-50s, the new F-35A Lightning II fighters are arriving, destined to become the backbone of Poland’s future combat aviation.
The country has launched a large-scale renewal policy that also includes the development of attack drones, modern radar systems, and digitalized infrastructure, in line with the latest NATO strategies.
In this context, the Su-22 gives way to a new generation of much more sophisticated aircraft, but it remains a symbol of resilience and adaptability.
Even though the Su-22 will no longer fly in the European skies, several examples will be preserved in the country’s military museums as a testament to an era of transition and national pride.
Many pilots fondly remember its unique features, the power of its engine, its aggressive lines, and its unmistakable sound.
After all, the “Fitter” earned the respect of everyone who ever flew it, and not only them.
It was an aircraft that served with dignity and reliability, proving that even a design born in a completely different geopolitical context could have a long and honorable career under the NATO flag.
The Su-22 has thus left the stage, but not our memory.
It remains one of the last representatives of an era when steel, noise, and raw power were synonymous with deterrence.
Today, as Poland looks to the future with stealth jets and digital systems, its old “Fitter” endures in memories and museums, reminding us where it all began.
With great luck, one of our members managed to photograph these fantastic aircraft, aware that it was the first and last time he would ever see Fitters take off and dance in the sky above Mirosławiec.
Dzięki za wszystko Fitter!
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Article by Diego Mor – Pictures by Diego Mor.