Leonardo at MSPO 2019: new opportunities in Poland, thanks also to the successes of the AW101, the M-346 trainer and the PZL-Swidnik results

Leonardo participates in the 27 ° edition of MSPO in Kielce (Poland) after recent successes including orders for four AW101 helicopters and four other M-346 training aircraft and the establishment of Leonardo Poland, which confirm the close collaboration with Poland and its armed forces. During this edition of MSPO, Leonardo and PZL-Swidnik present new projects to meet the demand for state-of-the-art defense products and systems from the Polish armed forces.

Donation campaignDuring the event, Leonardo will present new features and capabilities for the Sokol helicopter, the leading model of the Polish armed forces. The W-3PL Głuszec, the most modern version of the Sokol, will be exhibited in Leonardo's static area.

Leonardo exhibited at his stand (pavilion E - stand 23) also the helicopter AW101, selected last April by the Polish navy to carry out missions to combat submarine and search and rescue threats. PZL-Swidnik plays a significant role in the production of all the AW101 ordered in the world and is responsible, as prime contractor, for the delivery of helicopters to Poland by the 2022.

Leonardo continues to work on the AW249, the only new combat helicopter currently being designed, to satisfy a requirement of the Polish armed forces. Leonardo and PGZ have signed a letter of intent for future industrial collaboration on this program that can offer the Polish industry a unique opportunity to participate in the development of a new helicopter and export opportunities.

The SW-4 Solo is an example of how Leonardo enhances PZL-Swidnik's capabilities in unmanned technology. Equipped with advanced systems and sensors produced by Leonardo, the Solo will be involved in two naval demonstrations, scheduled for November 2019 in the Mediterranean Sea and for August 2020 in the Baltic Sea under the OCEAN2020 program. During the first demo, Leonardo's radar and command and control systems that are on board the FREMM frigates of the Italian Navy will also be used. The helicopter also participates in the HELIMARIS project, carried out by PZL-Swidnik, in collaboration with research and development centers and Polish universities, with the aim of using a remotely piloted helicopter for maritime missions.

Leonardo will also present the Eurofighter Typhoon to the Polish air force one of the most advanced multi-role fighters in the world. Leonardo is the leader of the campaign for the offer of the aircraft in Poland. The Eurofighter consortium has proven to be a technological driver for the European aerospace industry with nine customers and 623 ordered aircraft and offers enormous opportunities for industrial participation. During MSPO, Leonardo will provide further updates on the Long Term Evolution, a technological bridge to bring the Eurofighter closer to the sixth generation of aircraft.

With the purchase of four more units at the end of 2018, the Polish M-346 fleet reached 16 total aircraft, eight of which were already operational. The fleet of 16 advanced trainers will be updated to the standard NATO STANAG 4193 Edition 3 IFF within the 2021. Leonardo also promotes the M-346FA variant, a multi-role aircraft equipped with radar (the Grifo-346) which represents a highly effective and cost-effective tactical solution, ideal for modern operational scenarios.

In the space field, through the joint ventures Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, Leonardo provides the Polish Ministry of Defense with the ground segment for receiving and processing data and products of the Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellite constellation. The COSMO-SkyMed program will soon be enriched with the launch of second-generation satellites.

Leonardo is also active in satellite communications for military and commercial uses (Milsatcom): Telespazio has signed a multi-year contract with the Polish Ministry of Defense for the use of the UHF channels of the Italian SICRAL family of satellite communications and provides transmission services television.

Leonardo has a long experience in naval and terrestrial defense systems and collaborates with various Polish companies and institutions since the 1995, when he obtained a contract for the supply of an 60mm prototype turret subsequently integrated into the OBRUM vehicle. In the 2003 Leonardo has signed a PGZ-Rosomak contract for on-site production under license of a total of 363 HITFIST units, installed on Rosomak vehicles and used in peace-keeping missions such as those in Afghanistan. Leonardo is currently engaged in negotiations with Polish industries to supply HITFIST turrets with additional capacity, namely Spike ATGM and RECCE. Leonardo finally worked with the Polish Air Force to install three FADR (Fixed Air Defense Radar) systems and supplied the ZSRN automated coastal surveillance system.

Additional information

Leonardo's industrial presence in Poland is mainly linked to PZL- Świdnik, a national helicopter manufacturer with more than 65 years of activity and more than 7400 units produced for customers in over 40 countries. A reality that has made Poland one of the few nations with independent planning, development, production and support capabilities in the sector. PZL-idwidnik is a key partner of the Polish Ministry of Defense: the helicopters currently in service with the national Armed Forces are almost 160. PZL-Świdnik currently employs around 3000 employees, among them over 650 engineers, and collaborates with about 800 national companies.

In order to further consolidate its presence in Poland and foster business development, Leonardo established Leonardo Poland, based in Warsaw, with the task of presenting and promoting the full range of technologies and products.

Leonardo at MSPO 2019: new opportunities in Poland, thanks also to the successes of the AW101, the M-346 trainer and the PZL-Swidnik results

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