The Polish Ministry of Defence has chosen the M-346 trainer aircraft produced by Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, and its ground-based training system to train its Air Force pilots.
The contract, which includes training and technical and logistic support, is worth EUR 280 million and includes the purchase of eight M-346 airplanes, plus option on four more planes, in addition to flight simulators and training devices.
The Italian aircraft won the contract over international competition.
The M-346 is the most advanced/lead-in fighter trainer aircraft currently produced and the only new-generation trainer optimized for the role of training pilots who fly on latest-generation high-performance military planes.
A total of 48 aircraft has been ordered, to date, by the Italian Air force and the Singapore and Israeli Governments.
The contract is scheduled to be signed in the first months of 2014.