Poland orders four more M-346 AJTs

Leonardo has signed an agreement with the Armament Inspectorate of the Polish Ministry of National Defence to supply four additional M-346 Advanced Jet Trainers, the company announced on 27 March.

The new jet trainers will join the Polish Air Force’s existing fleet of eight aircraft by 2020.

The contract is worth over €115 million and includes a support package and options for an additional four aircraft.

The M-346 is a trainer aircraft designed to prepare pilots to fly new generation high-performance aircraft. The aircraft’s wide flight envelope, high thrust/weight ratio and manoeuvrability allows the M-346 to offer flight conditions similar to those of advanced combat aircraft.

The M-346’s embedded tactical training simulation allows the aircraft to emulate sensors, countermeasures and armaments as well as allowing pilots to interact in real time with a virtual tactical scenario. The aircraft’s helmet mounted display, in-flight refuelling probe and pylons for up to 3,000kg of external load allow it to carry out a complete tactical training syllabus.

Alessandro Profumo, chief executive officer, Leonardo, said: ‘This contract reinforces Leonardo’s close partnership with Poland, a country where our technologies and skills are already deeply rooted, and which recognises the unique capabilities of our integrated training system based on the M-346 aircraft.'