TSAMTO, May 18. The Leonardo Group offers the M-346FA light combat aircraft as a potential replacement for the aging fleet of Su-22 attack aircraft in service with the Polish Air Force.
According to Jane's Defense Weekly, when announcing its intention to offer the M-346FA to the Polish Air Force for tender, the company pointed to the advantages that the Polish Air Force can receive due to the fact that it already operates the basic version of the M-346 Master training aircraft. At the moment, the Polish Air Force has about 30 Su-22M4 aircraft in service since 1985.
According to Leonardo's official Twitter page, the M-346FA is a new high-performance light combat aircraft that can replace the Su-22. It provides operational advantages and has much in common with the training version of the M-346 used by the Polish Air Force.
As specified by Janes World Air Forces, the Polish Air Force has 27 Su-22M4, the service life of 12 of which should be extended, along with six combat training Su-22UM3K. However, the combat capabilities of the aircraft are declining, and the entire fleet of Su-22 should be withdrawn from service by 2024-2026.
In addition to the Su-22, the Polish Air Force currently has 48 F-16C/D Block.50+ Fighting Falcon fighters and 21 MiG-29 fighters. The Su-22 and MiG-29 aircraft are to be replaced by 32 F-35A Lightning-2 fighters as part of the Harpia program. Although there is currently no separate Su-22 replacement program, the Leonardo Group is offering the option of delivering its low-cost M-346A as a complement to the more powerful but substantially more expensive F-35A.
M-346-jet TCB advanced training, equipped with nine suspension units (four under each wing and one under the center section). The M-346 can carry a variety of unguided and guided munitions, including the Mk-82/83/84 free-fall bombs and the GBU-12/16, Opher Mk-82 guided bombs. The aircraft can also carry 6 Durendal concrete bombs, four BRD-4 or LAU-7/LAU-5002/LAU-32 NAR units, four AIM-9 Sidewinder or IRIS-T air-to-air missiles, four AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, or four Brimstone anti-tank guided missiles. The M-346FA light attack aircraft is also equipped with the Grifo-346 multi-mode fire control radar developed by the Leonardo Group.
The estimated cost of the M-346 is $ 35 million. The aircraft, which has a maximum take-off weight of 3,100 kg, can reach a maximum speed of 590 knots (1,093 km/h). The flight duration is 4 hours (with two outboard fuel tanks), the range is 1,963 km (can be increased when equipped with an in-air refueling system), the practical ceiling is 45,000 feet (13,716 m).
According to the company, deliveries of the aircraft to the first unnamed customer should begin at the end of 2021.
