Focus on M-346
The M-346 was conceived to fill the training gap brought about by the introduction of the latest generation of combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter, Rafale, Gripen, F-22 and, soon, the JSF. The M-346 is thus the only new generation aircraft in its class and is fully representative of these new fighters. Its chief characteristic is to allow the student pilot to acquire crucial operational skills – such as aircraft handling at high energy levels and system and mission management – on an aircraft with the much lower costs of a trainer.
The M-346 is designed around innovative solutions. The aircraft has Fly-by-Wire digital controls that are easily reprogrammed to link increasing difficulties with student progress. The quadruple-redundancy of the flight control system allows the M-346 to fly safely throughout the entire envelope. The two Honeywell/Avio F124 turbofans rated at 27.8 kN thrust each give the M-346 a thrust/weight ratio close to 1, endowing it with much greater performance than current advanced trainers and manoeuvrability close to that of combat aircraft.
The combination of these characteristics means that the M-346 offers safety levels unattainable by competing aircraft. The M-346 also brings together digital avionics and the ability to simulate sensors and threats, two characteristics which again make it ideally suited to offer pilots tactical pre-operational training.
With the first pre-series aircraft about to be rolled out, the M-346 is in the advanced industrialization phase and continues to gain momentum. Italian Air Force interest has resulted in budgetary allocations for 15 aircraft, fuelling international prospectives and driving the participation in the advanced trainer competitions under way in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. Countries like Greece, Portugal and Poland have expressed their interest in participating in the industrial programme. The Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT, or Eurotraining) initiative between twelve European air forces continues to offer a significant opportunity.