12 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
NEWS Continental Europe
// APRIL 2018 #Polish
M-
begins
training
THE SIŁY Powietrzne
(Polish Air Force) has
begun operations with
its M-346 advanced jet
trainers, a first sortie flying
on February 16 with Capt
Miroslaw Kopeć and an
Italian pilot at the controls.
The flight practised
emergency procedures,
including a landing
approach with one
engine out and with
various flap settings.
Early flights will be
made by instructors to
refresh skills learned
during conversion
training in Italy as well
as additional sorties to
verify the local syllabus.
Poland has acquired
eight Masters, the last
which were delivered
in December last year.
Negotiations for four more
began in January (see
Poland eyes additional
M-346s, March, p10).
The jets are operated by
the 4. Skrzydło Lotnictwa
Szkolnego (4. SLSz, 4th
Aviation School Wing),
part of the 41. Baza
Lotnictwa Szkolnego
(41. BLSz, 41st Aviation
School Base) at Déblin.Portuguese pilots to train in US
Finnish
Air Force’s
Dragon
Shield fully
operational
LOCKHEED MARTIN
says the Ilmavoimat’s
(Finnish Air Force’s)
Dragon Shield airborne
surveillance system has
achieved final operational
capability (FOC).
The containerised, roll-
on/roll-off system is
installed in modified C
transport serial CC-1,
which serves with the
Tukilentolaivue (TukiLLv,
Support Squadron) at
Tampere-Pirkkala.
FOC was achieved
after a final flight test
evaluating compliance
of the aircraft to civilian
and military airworthiness
requirements, and
system verification.Above: Croatian soldiers fast-rope from a Mi-171Sh at a training base in Udbina. The aircraft are operated by the Eskadrila
višenamjenskih helikoptera (EVH, Multi-role Helicopter Squadron) of the Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzračna Obrana
(HRZ i PZO, Croatian Air Force) at Lučko airfi eld. USAF/Staff Sgt Tyler Placie
THE CROATIAN defence
ministry on February 12
confirmed it has awarded
a €27.4m contract for the
overhaul of its ten Mi-171Sh
helicopters at the state-
owned Zrakoplovno-
Tehnički Centar (ZTC,
Aeronautical-Technical
Centre) at Velika Gorica.
ZTC will be tasked with
disassembly and final
assembly of the helicopters
and overhaul of certain
parts and assemblies.
As subcontractor,
Moscow-based Russian
Helicopters will provide
technical assistance and
overhaul the remainingcomponents in Russia.
The first four helicopters
(serials 220, 221, 222 and
223) are already being
disassembled and overhaul
of all ten is expected
to be completed by the
middle of next year.
They were built at the
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plantand delivered new in 2007-
2008 as a compensation for
Russia’s debt to Croatia.
They were originally
scheduled to undergo an
overhaul in late 2016. The
delay in signing a contract
led to all ten being grounded
by the middle of last year.
Vladimir TrendafilovskiCroatia awards Mi-171Sh overhaul contract
Alpha Jet As 15211 and 15206 made the type’s fi nal fl ights in Portuguese service during the Real Thaw exercise – a full report
on which will appear in the May issue. Jorge Ruivo
PORTUGAL WILL not
buy a new trainer to
replace its retired Alpha
Jet A fleet, and Força
Aérea Portuguesa (FAP,
Portuguese Air Force)pilots will instead conduct
advanced training in
the United States.
Esquadra 103 ‘Caracóis’
officially retired its Alpha
Jets in January (see Lastof the Snails, March, p80-
85), although two took
part in Exercise Real Thaw
staged at Monte Real from
January 26 to February 8.
Training in the US isexpected to cost €25m,
distributed over eight
years to 2026. Pilots
will begin training in the
US this year, at a cost
of €1.7m. José Matos