Alenia Aermacchi M-346 is the new jet trainer of the Polish Air Force.
According to the Polish Ministry of National Defense the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master has been officialy selected to be the Polish Air Force’s jet trainer in Dęblin.
Last week, between Feb 3 and 5 the plane has gone through a verification process in the 41. Training Aviation Base located in Dęblin. This aimed at verifying whether the aircraft fits the contract requirements.
The Master has positively made it through the process and the offer proposed by the Italian manufacturer (that had already announced to be the winner of the tender in December 2013) has been positively approved.
The offer does not only include eight Masters, but also full mission simulator, partial task simulator, ejection seat simulator and computer based training support system, along with a logistics bundle. The place the training will take place will not change – it all will happen in Dęblin.
Master in Poland won a competition against BAe Systems Hawk and Lockheed Martin’s T-50. Aero Vodochody also took part in the bid with the L-158, but the manufacturer withdrew its offer due to the unclear conditions of the bid.
M-346 stands a chance to become U.S. Air Force and UAE AF trainer and to replace Alpha Jet and other trainers in twelve European countries.
It has been already selected as a main training platform by Italy, Israel, and Singapore. It is a twin for Yak-130 and shares the critical design features with its Russian cousin.
Image: Polish MoD
Jacek Siminski for TheAviationist
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