Article Posted on : - Feb 28, 2014

VARESE, ITALY (BNS): The Ministry of Defence of Poland has formally signed the contract with Italian firm Alenia Aermacchi to procure eight M-346 trainer aircraft for its air force.

The contract was signed on Feb 27 and is worth EUR 280 million, Alenia, a unit of Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica, announced.

Poland had selected the M-346 advance jet trainers for its air force in December 2013. The Italian aircraft won the contract over international competition.

The contract, which includes technical and logistic support along with ground-based training system, also has an option for four more planes, in addition to flight simulators and training devices.

As a new-generation advanced fighter trainer, the M-346 is tailored to train pilots to fly new generation combat aircraft including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, Rafale, F-16, F-22 and the future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

After Italy, Singapore and Israel, Poland is the fourth customer to order the M-346. The Polish contract raises the number of M-346 aircraft ordered to date to 56, Alenia said.