Aermacchi has invited Polish industry to participate in its M346 lead-in fighter trainer project and hopes to secure Warsaw's backing for its international co-operation programme, says chief executive Carmelo Consentino. The partnering initiative includes the proposed establishment of an international combat pilot training centre to operate the M346 from Poland's Deblin air base.
Polish industry could participate in the M346 engineering and manufacturing development programme, with up to 29% of the total work available for transfer to Poland as a risk-sharing partner, says Aermacchi. Co-operation could include involvement in the low-rate production of 14 aircraft and the development of an integrated training system, it says. Aermacchi is in talks with PZL Mielec, PZL Swidnik and two Warsaw-based research and development institutes, with any Polish involvement to follow that of Greece, which has already taken a 20% stake in the project and could acquire 40-50 of the aircraft. Athens' investment is worth around €60 million ($77 million) over the next four years and Poland could invest €30-60 million by 2010, say industry sources.
Warsaw needs around 50 advanced trainers to support future operations of its 48 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 52+ fighters and to replace its obsolete TS-11 Iskras. Poland's first 12 F-16s will be delivered in November 2006, with its air force planning to train a total of 72 pilots to operate the future fleet. Its first 13 instructor pilots are currently undergoing training in the USA.
BARTEK GLOWACKI & GRZEGORZ SOBCZAK/WARSAW
Source: Flight International
