Alenia Aermacchi: the M-346 and M-311 leave Italy for Operational Evaluation in the Emirates
On 20 July the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer and the M-311 basic trainer will leave the company airfield at Venegono for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be subjected to hot weather operational tests. With temperatures exceeding 50° C, the two trainers will fly mission profiles including aircraft performance, handling, system evaluation and simulated training phases.
The activity will be carried out at Al-Ain air base (Abu Dhabi), where are also based the Aermacchi MB-339A trainers, acquired by the UAE Air Force in the late 1980s.
The evaluation is being carried out in the context of the February 2007 short-listing of the two Aermacchi trainers by the UAE Ministry of Defence and Air Force, which seek to replace the current PC-7 and Hawk, fleets in order to train the future pilots of its F-16 and Mirage 2000 frontline fighters.
Before announcing its short list, the UAE examined products offered by twelve international manufacturers. Through its M-346 and M-311 trainers, Alenia Aermacchi was found to be the only company capable of supplying a complete latest generation training system.
The activity will be carried out at Al-Ain air base (Abu Dhabi), where are also based the Aermacchi MB-339A trainers, acquired by the UAE Air Force in the late 1980s.
The evaluation is being carried out in the context of the February 2007 short-listing of the two Aermacchi trainers by the UAE Ministry of Defence and Air Force, which seek to replace the current PC-7 and Hawk, fleets in order to train the future pilots of its F-16 and Mirage 2000 frontline fighters.
Before announcing its short list, the UAE examined products offered by twelve international manufacturers. Through its M-346 and M-311 trainers, Alenia Aermacchi was found to be the only company capable of supplying a complete latest generation training system.
07/20/2007