PZL Mielec to Build F-35 Wiring Harnesses in Poland From 2027

PZL Mielec, Lockheed Martin’s Polish subsidiary, will manufacture aviation electrical wiring harnesses for the F-35 at its plant in Mielec, with the first delivery planned for July 2027. The company announced the programme on 26 October 2026, alongside a second new job, cockpit structures for the UH-60 Black Hawk.

The work will be done in south-eastern Poland. Poland’s Industrial Development Agency (ARP) has approved an income tax exemption worth up to about PLN 17 million to help the plant prepare, according to the company.

What PZL Mielec will build for the F-35

The harnesses are the cabling that carries power and signals between the fighter’s onboard systems. PZL Mielec describes them as a critical element of the aircraft’s electrical system. The programme covers 287 harness types, some using conventional electrical connections and some using fibre-optic technology.

No contract value and no employment figure were given in the material reviewed.

Thirteen thousand harnesses a year and 90,000 connectors

At target output the plant will assemble more than 90,000 connectors a year, plus thousands of assembly, inspection and test operations, according to the company. That is hand-built work at scale. Harnesses are tailored to each aircraft position, which helps explain why the variety is so high.

The fibre-optic part is the harder bit. The company said production needs fibre-optic manufacturing and testing capability, high-speed data transmission and information-protection measures, all under strict quality, configuration and traceability rules. PZL Mielec said it is expanding production infrastructure, buying equipment and building up its production and quality teams.

A tax break under the Polish Investment Zone

The Industrial Development Agency (Agencja Rozwoju Przemyslu) issued the support decision under the Polish Investment Zone. It allows a corporate income tax exemption of up to about PLN 17 million. According to the announcement, this is the company’s second such decision.

Janusz Zakręcki, president of the management board and managing director of PZL Mielec, said that including the plant in the global F-35 programme is an important milestone in its history. The company also noted that 20 countries have selected the F-35, 13 of them in Europe.

That European customer base is relevant. A reading of the announcement, and this is analysis, is that Lockheed Martin is placing more of its supply chain close to the aircraft’s European operators, though the company has not framed it that way.

PZL Mielec Company Profile

PZL Mielec was acquired by Sikorsky Aircraft in 2007, which kept the PZL name. Sikorsky is now part of Lockheed Martin. The company says the Mielec plant is Lockheed Martin’s largest production site outside the United States.

PZL Mielec F-35 harness FAQ

What will PZL Mielec make for the F-35?

Aviation electrical wiring harnesses, 287 types, using conventional and fibre-optic technology.

When does production start?

The company’s production phase runs 2027–2029, with first delivery planned for July 2027.

How many harnesses will it build?

About 13,000 a year at target output, requiring more than 90,000 connectors, the company said.

Is there state support?

Yes. The Industrial Development Agency approved a corporate income tax exemption worth up to about PLN 17 million under the Polish Investment Zone.

What else is new at Mielec?

Production of cockpit structures for the UH-60 Black Hawk, for which no further details were given.