Dec. 24 – The M-346 trainer is the most advanced pre-operative training system in the world today. This Italian product by Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, was chosen by the Ministry of Defence in Poland to train the pilots of the Polish Air Force. The € 280 million contract includes training, technical and logistical support, the acquisition of 8 M -346 plus 4 on option, as well as instructional aids and simulators. “The Italian aircraft – according to a press note from Finmeccanica – convinced more than its international competitors, because the Alenia Aermacchi M -346 trainer aircraft is the most advanced available on the market and is the only one in the world designed specifically to train pilots in the operation of high-performance military aircrafts.” The M -346 has fully digital flight controls and avionics and a “care free” maneuverability at high angles of attack that makes it the best choice for training and significant savings, because the training program takes place directly on the aircraft and not on more expensive machineries. To date, 48 M-346 aircrafts have been commissioned by the Italian Air Force, the Israeli government and the Singaporean government. The contract in Poland will be signed in early 2014.