Italy's Alenia Aermacchi and AgustaWestland subsidiary PZL--widnik SA are expanding their Polish business networks as they pursue Polish military contracts.

Alenia Aermacchi, seeking a Polish Ministry of Defense contract to supply jet trainers, has signed a series of agreements with the Polish aerospace companies for joint development of technologies, production of advanced materials, logistic support, production of equipment and servicing and maintenance activities.

PZL--widnik SA, meanwhile, has signed Memorandums of Understanding with 19 other Polish companies for systems and services for a locally manufactured and Polish configured AW149 military helicopters.

"We have signed MoU's with 19 leading Polish players, including companies and research centers," said Mieczys?aw Majewski, president of the Management Board of PZL--widnik SA. "Negotiations are under way with further potential partners.

"The AW149 Polish Industrial Team provides clear evidence of our commitment to offering the Polish armed forces the most advanced Polish-made solution to meet their future requirements."

Poland's military is seeking to procure 70 multi-role helicopters.

The AgustaWestland AW149 that PZL--widnik is offering to Poland is a medium-lift aircraft with a cruise speed of 173 miles per hour. It can carry 12 fully equipped combat troops or nearly 6,000 pounds of cargo.

PZL-Swidnik collaborated with AgustaWestland in the aircraft's development.

For Poland's new fleet of jet trainers, Alenia Aermacchi is offering its twin-seat M-346 advanced jet trainer, which is based on the Yak-130 subsonic trainer/light attack jet developed with Russia's Yakovlev as a joint venture. It has a top speed of 652 mph. It is also able to replicate the characteristics of several fourth-generation fighters.

To strengthen its bid for a new trainer fleet, Alenia Aermacchi said it has signed a series of agreements with Polish aviation companies for the maintenance, repair and life support services for the aircraft as well as production of components and logistics.

It also signed a deal with PZL-Swidnik for the transfer in Poland of composite material production activities for new commercial aircraft and for M-346 component production.

"Alenia Aermacchi is expecting that the potential technology and workload centered around the M-346 success in AJT (advanced jet trainer) acquisition could trace the path for a strong and successful cooperation between Alenia Aermacchi and the Polish Aerospace Industry, for the most effective AJT Fleet management in support of Polish Air Force requirements, as well as for the exploitation of the widest possibilities of industrial synergies for future commercial and military aerospace programs," Alenia Aermacchi said.

In other Polish aviation news, Boeing and Polish Defense Holding have agreed to collaborate in areas such as platform production, advanced technology solutions, and research and development.

"PDH is a regional leader in defense technology and draws on Poland's talented and experienced workforce to manufacture world-class products," said Henryka Bochniarz, president of Boeing Central and Eastern Europe. "We look forward to collaborating with them on potential contributions to Poland's drive for defense modernization."

PDH, comprised of 40 companies in Poland and elsewhere, is a major manufacturer and supplier of military equipment in Central and Eastern Europe.