airforces monthly m346

36 #306 SEPTEMBER 2013 www.airforcesmonthly.com

AIRCRAFT PROFILE M-346 MASTER

36-43_Profile_Sept_jg_GP.indd 36 31/07/2013 16:04

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M-346 manages to look right despite that. And it reportedly flies like a thoroughbred; on December 18, 2008, during a test flight over the Ligurian Sea, the blue-painted first prototype, serial number C.M.X615, became the fastest Italian-designed aircraft of all time when it reached Mach 1.15 (780mph [1,255km/h]) in a shallow dive. After landing back at Venegono Superiore the companys Chief Test Pilot Quirino Bucci said: The aircraft showed excellent controllability as it exceeded the speed of sound and maintained its pleasant handling throughout the deceleration phase. All aircraft systems performed regularly throughout the accelera-tion and deceleration phases. The jet was lost in a crash on November 18, 2011 wearing new serial C.P.X615.

ITALY IS famed for its beautiful, fast motorcars Ferrari, Lamborghini and the like but some of the most aesthetically pleasing aeroplanes have Italian origins too; Alenia Aermacchis M-346 continues that tradition. The old adage that if it looks right, itll fly right probably no longer applies. Whereas once there was a designer with a pad of paper and a pencil, aware of the advantages of streamlining, the

Whitcomb area rule and other aero-

dynamic impera-

tives, modern jets are designed

by computer. Somehow, in the

authors opinion, the

MasterpieceItalianItalys Aermacchi has a long history of building training aircraft and the tradition continues with Alenia

Aermacchi's M-346 Master. AFMs Jerry Gunner visited the factory near Milan and

saw the jet being built

ManufactureThe M-346 is not a Westernised version

of the Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten with which

it began life as a joint project. It is a completely new

aircraft, and as such benefits from modern technology and manufacturing techniques.

One of the driving forces behind any equipment purchase in these straitened financial times is cost. The M-346 has been designed to be as affordable as possible. One of the driving concepts was the so-called design to cost which began by rationalizing the aircrafts components to have as few different parts as possible and making those parts capable of completing a number of different tasks. Another principal

Prototype number two, C.M.X616 (c/n 6963/002). All images courtesy Alenia Aermacchi



was design to maintain which required the engineers to think from the beginning of ease of maintenance and accessibility to different parts of the airframe. Alenia Aermacchi claims that an engine can be changed in two and a half hours as a result of this. The structure of the aircraft is designed according to the 'damage tolerant' concept, removing the need for mandatory structural and repair as necessary (IRAN) inspections that add significantly to the maintenance burden/costs.

Construction of the first prototype began in 2001 and it was unveiled to the public just two years later in June 2003; the first flight of the blue-painted C.M.X615 took place on July 15, 2004 from Venegono Superiore, with Aermacchis chief test pilot Olinto Cecconello at the controls. The take-off run, at a little over 400m (1,312ft) demonstrated the power of the two Honeywell F124 engines. After an hour the jet recovered to Venegono only to take off a short time later with another Alenia Aermacchi test pilot, former astronaut Maurizio Cheli at the helm. Two weeks later, on the 29th, the commander of the Italian Air Forces (Aeronautica Militare Italiana - AMIs), flight test unit, the Reparto Sperimentale Volo RSV, Col Eugenio Lupinacci was on board for the jets fourth flight. A ceremony to officially unveil the new machine to the world was presided over by Italys Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Everything seemed to be going well.

Overseas interest in the programme was sparked in 2005 when the Greek Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to become a partner in the programme, and three years later in March 2008 Chiles ENAER signed an MoU to assist in marketing the jet in Latin America and possibly to manufacturer it and the M-311 basic jet trainer. American giant Boeing signed another MoU two months after that to cooperate in the marketing, sales, training and support for the same two Alenia Aermacchi types.

State-of-the-artWhen the author visited Aermacchis factory at Venegono a

Above: Another view of the fi nal assembly line illustrating the way the aircraft are progressively fi tted out in the different phases. Below: The M-346 simulator complete with head-up display, g-suit and ejector seat.

Below: T-346A Master MM55144 has since been delivered to the Italian Air Force and serves with the test unit at Pratica di Mare.

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quarter of a century ago the aircraft, MB339s at that time, were built on an old-fashioned assembly line that resembled a collection of trestles and a few pieces of scaffolding. Things have certainly changed! A new assembly facility has been built, starting in 2009; the first fuselage section was manufactured there in 2010. No effort has been spared in building a fully-auto-mated automobile industry-style production facility. Everything has been planned to produce the most ergonomically efficient assembly process. Workers will never have to bend or stretch to access a hard-to-reach piece of airframe; computers and robots manoeuvre the components into position and then move them along to the next workstation. Components arrive from sub-contractors and are mounted on a jig. From there, the jig moves the part along the line and it is manoeuvred by one person pressing a button rather than by a gang of workmen man-handling the piece into position. A lot of thought has gone into the design and a lot of money into the facility. Clearly Alenia Aermacchi anticipates a long production run to justify the expenditure.

The production line has been conceived and designed to achieve the rate of four aircraft per month, with the capacity to respond to market requirements with extreme flexibility. At the time of AFMs visit it was running at roughly half capacity. The line is physically divided into five areas, the first three dealing with the fuselage, centre, rear and front. Before the three fuselage sections are joined, using a laser-controlled jig similar to that used for Eurofighter construction, low-cost items are added, such as wiring and piping. The actual joining process is fully automated, in only 10% of cases will humans need to intervene.

Wing manufacture is carried out by an even more impressive machine, developed from warehouse distribution systems. Again, in a fully automated process, the entire wing is manoeuvred across two levels to permit access. Once the fuselage sections are joined, the undercarriage is installed and the aircraft is moved into the final assembly line (FAL) for finishing. The FAL has six distinct phases, five assembly areas and the flight-line. Phase number one is where the wings are mated to the airframe. Phase two is for the continuity and insulation testing, where all 15km (9.5 miles) of cabling inside the aircraft is tested at up to 50,000 points; this computerised

process takes around ten days. From phase three onwards, the aircraft is dressed with its electrical equipment, avionics and so on. Phase four is devoted to further ground testing. Stage A testing can be completed without power to the aircraft, stage B sees sections of systems powered up using external power supplies, for example hydraulics and electrical systems. After that the aircraft is taken to another building so that

fuel tests can be carried out before being brought back into the FAL to be prepared for engine tests, phase five, which is also carried out in another building. When that is successfully concluded it is time for stage C, where the jets own engines are used to power it up. The aircraft is complete apart from its paint finish and ready for test flying.

The Venegono facility with its airfield and wind tunnel is ideal for flight testing; indeed

before the split between Yakovlev and Aermacchi, two years of development work on the Yak-130 had been carried out at the aerodrome.

Towards serviceIn June 2011 the General Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments of the Italian MoD issued the military type certificate for the M-346, a fundamental requirement for all aircraft operated in a military environment. The two delivered to the RSV at Pratica di Mare in January 2012 are being used to refine the aircraft as well as prepare the new jet for military service but some changes have been made to the aircraft as it has evolved. At the time of AFMs visit, both were back at Venegono for further modifications following six months of intensive testing by the air force.

The first M-346 to fly was a very different machine to the initial production configuration aircraft. Given the designation Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) 00, C.M.X617, painted an eye-catching

At the leading edgeAerodynamically the M-346 features fighter-like wing LERXs (Leading Edge Root eXtensions). These generate so-called vortex lift at high angles of attack (AoA), while computer-controlled leading-edge flaps offer variable camber wings giving optimum aerodynamic efficiency at various flight attitudes throughout the flight regime . The wings are complemented by the differential all-moving horizontal tailerons that increase controllability in, particular at high AoA, preventing the aircraft departing from controlled flight. The engine air intakes are placed directly under the LERX and canted upwards, to provide distortion-free engine airflow in all flight attitudes. The Flight Control System (FCS) has

at its core four identical flight control computers. Technically it is

described as being a quadruple-redundant FCS, governing the full authority digital fly-by-wire system. It is said to be self-reconfigurable in case of failure. Coupled with its aerodynamics, the FCS gives the M-346 flight characteristics similar to the latest fighters. The FCS can be reconfigured to progressively increase the difficulty of handling techniques as students progress through their syllabus. Different limits of AoA, manoeuvre load factor (MLF) and roll rate can be selected. Emphasising its trainer credentials, a ground proximity warning system (GPWS) is fitted and very importantly an automatic disorientation recovery (ADR) system or Pilot Activated Recovery System (PARS), the so-called panic button. The ADR is a button on the control panel that when pressed returns the aircraft to

controlled flight, wings level and in a slight climb very useful in a trainer The aircraft has a planned fatigue

life of 10,000 hours. Every system and all critical components are continually checked by a Structural Health and Usage Monitoring System (S-HUMS) to monitor the airframe's life and manage fleet usage. The two interchangeable modular Honeywell F124-GA-200 twin-shaft turbofans are designed to the so-called on-condition maintenance philosophy. There are no scheduled overhaul intervals, although the cold section of the engine is subject to in-depth inspection at 4,000 flight hours and 2,000 for the hot. They both benefit from dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). FADEC controls engine start and automatic relight in the event of flameout.

The compactness of the T-346A is shown off to advantage in this view of MM55144 departing Venegonos runway.

An engineer works on a forward fuselage assembly.

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#306 SEPTEMBER 2013 39



Chief Test Pilot Quirino Bucci spoke to AFM. He joined the Italian Air Force Academy in 1983, flying the Lockheed F-104S Starfighter operationally. He is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilot School at Boscombe Down in the UK. He flew with Italy's test unit and has flown more than 45 different aircraft types. After a brief stint flying airliners for Alitalia he has been Alenia Aermacchis Chief Test Pilot since 2008.

AFM: What makes the M-346 the best in its class?Bucci: How long have you got? It

is the only aircraft that complies with all the requirements of a new generation trainer, particularly the Euro Trainer programme, although that programme seems to be dead. From an operational pilots perspective, its the aircrafts performance thats impressive in particular the performance that can be customised to the training level, in terms of powerplant, agility and the flight control system. The way that the aircraft actually

behaves in flight can be customised to the ability level of the student. If the student is coming from an M-311 or M-345, I can set the flight control systems so that he will pull 7g rather than 8g or that the roll-rate is 180 per second rather than 220. The powerplant can be set to different settings for take-off, landing or even combat. The thrust-to-weight ratio in a typical clean training configuration is very close to one. Even though the engines dont have reheat we are able to simulate reheat and the way that a pilot should use an aircraft with it, and of course not using reheat, means very good fuel consumption, much better than fighters [that training would otherwise have to be conducted on]. This means that the aircraft can stay in the training area longer. The two horizontal tails operate

independently, controlling pitch and roll and they are an important part in providing the M-346s manoeuvrability. Bearing in mind that we are dealing with inexperienced pilots we want to give them the best opportunity to come back [recover safely to base] even if they are in abnormal conditions [systems failure] so we have the twin engine configuration and twin fully redundant electrical and hydraulic systems. The aircraft is designed to operate

from austere airfields so it is fitted with an APU. Even though it wasnt a requirement it gave us the opportunity to develop an LCA [light combat aircraft]. Most of the capability to act

like a new generation aircraft comes from the external geometry. The leading edge fins are designed to improve directional stability for instance. The variable camber wing is a function of the fly-by-wire system, that, with the big vertical fin all helps with the angle of attack, which were in the process of finalising in flight test but at the moment its about 35, a capability that is unmatched by some fighters.

AFM: Is it almost too much for a trainer? Do you need all this capability?

Bucci: To transition from a basic trainer to Typhoon or Super Hornet, these kinds of aircraft, you have to have this capability. You save a lot of money using the M-346 instead of those aircraft but also the airmanship of the student when approaching those new fighters is definitely different; youve already learned how to deal with all the issues that come with those kinds of aircraft. The things that make the difference are

the human machine interface and the on-board simulation, for instance you can simulate launching an AMRAAM

[advance medium-range air-to-air missile], but that is only useful because of the performance of the aircraft. Simulating launching an AMRAAM from an aircraft that is only capable of 200kts indicated air-speed is completely different from simulating launching it at Mach 0.9.

AFM: Do you get the feel of it leaving the airframe? Bucci: Actually no, but you have to

get it in terms of the shooting envelope, you have to get the solution right to get it in the firing position. You dont only need the on-board simulation; you need the platform that will get you in the right place with the right parameters. If you try to launch missiles with a good simulation but the wrong performance, because you cant get the speed or the altitude, you are getting what we call negative training. That means that when you go to the frontline jet you have to un-learn those bad habits. Thats why you have to have performance coupled with excellent on-board simulation and why I say the M-346 isnt perfectly tailored! Both cockpits have three MFDs,

head-up display and so on, but both cockpits have excellent vision outside. When looking down, the rear pilot has 6 below the horizon visibility and that allows you to use the head-up display for most of the flight from the rear seat. When it comes to 35 AoA, then of course your view is obstructed

Mastering the Master

With this aircraft you are 100% replicating the capability you will get on a frontline aircraft

The author has the intricacies of the M-346s cockpit and simulation explained to him by Alenia Aermacchis Chief Test Pilot Quirino Bucci. Before joining Aermacchi in 2005, Bucci served with the Italian Air Force; he is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilot School at MoD Boscombe Down, UK.

The author in the Ground Based Training System demonstrator for the T-100, Alenia's T-X candidate, shortly before he simulated crashing short of the runway!




by the front-seat pilot, but most of the time you can see along your trajectory of flight through the head-up display. On production aircraft we will have

a helmet-mounted display and voice command system, and everything is integrated in the cockpit and avionics system which are open so you can add capability as your experience on the aircraft and training needs are evolving. The MFDs can be configured in any

way you choose, at the flick of a switch, so the data can be presented on any one of them how you like. You can configure the aircraft in the mode you need for the exercise quickly. The computer will offer you different configurations, say weapons load-out, and you accept the one you want. We also have a generic simulated ATP [advanced targeting pod], we cant say it is a specific pod for copyright reasons and for the same reason we have generic radar. However, we know what pods our customers will be using so we will develop an interface that is pretty much identical to their system. With our dedicated datalink we can share data with other players, both in the air and on the ground. When we start the aircraft, displays open with a default presentation with the radar on the left-hand screen, the horizontal situation display in the centre and the EWS [electronic warfare system] on the right.

The aircraft AFM was being shown was configured as an F/A-18 and the radar warning receiver was picking up a search radar. The chaff and flare dispensers and jammer were in the auto position.Bucci: We have a realistic defensive

aids suite that we can train with; the student is not learning the theory of it, he is doing it in practice and he is hearing how the different radars sound in the headphones. He can learn to dispense chaff and flares manually, just like on a frontline jet. The display management switch allows you to move these displays from screen to screen.

Bucci then demonstrated how to use the radar to shoot down an enemy aircraft (a C-130). The M-346 was put into flying mode following the correct procedures, the target was locked on to, acquired by the missile, which was then launched. The symbology showed all this and the destruction of the target in the same timeframe as the real event would take, building up anticipation and stress in the student. All this without leaving the ground. Similar exercises can be run with the targeting pod, using its infrared or electro-optical modes in either air-to-air or air-to-ground roles. These changes can also

be made instantly, making the M-346 representative of a true swing-role aircraft. Bucci: We have a digital map

with a complex database containing a navigation database, a mission database, a flight-plan database, comms, weapons and ETTS. These are all managed by the avionics system so that not only do you have navigation information but also, using the targeting pod, an image that can be either TV or IR showing the ground with overlays of the targets. The real-time mission monitoring station can inject additional threats into the system via datalink during the mission.Normally, as a pilot, you plan the

mission as you would do on the squadron, so you receive the situation briefing and then you plan accordingly. You load the mission on to a memory stick and on to the jet. But instructors can change the situation and you have to react.

AFM: Do you have a threat library of likely opposing systems? Bucci: Yes and this library can be

customised very easily. So we can say, today Im flying against an F-18 and thats what the system will provide you with; you can customise the threats based upon the requirement. The datalink not only allows us to train with other aircraft but you can train in a Link-16 like environment. So as well as receiving instructions via a secure-radio voice-link, digital data can be received from any datalink capable aircraft. For example a formation leader could pass you targeting information via datalink. This information will also be available on head-up and head down displays and the control panel. The leader will target your bombs; you will just be the bomb truck! You can pass this information of course and you can act as formation leader. If you have a contact that you dont have any information on, you can highlight it on your screen and it will tell you this is an F-16 and it has six AMRAAMs and laser-guided bombs so you can assign him a priority target.Despite all this the aircraft is very

easy to fly, its as easy as a basic trainer, and the approach speed is only 115kts IAS. You cannot stall it or depart from controlled flight, and you cannot over g it. With this aircraft you are 100% replicating the capability you will get on a frontline aircraft and of course what you see here is based on the requirements of the customer. With its open architecture it is very easy to add further capabilities if the customer requires them.

metallic carmine, took to the skies in the hands of test pilot Cecconello on June 26, 2008. Many of the structural differences from its predecessors reflected the design to cost and design to maintain ethos within the company, to simplify the airframe and make it easier to build, and therefore cheaper to buy and operate. It had always been intended that production aircraft would have a new, simpler more efficient landing gear and this had been fitted, but other changes arose from flight-testing the prototypes; the dorsal airbrake was moved for that reason. Other changes, mostly invisible to a casual observer, have reduced the aircrafts weight by a massive 1,540lbs (700kgs). This has partly been achieved by substituting composites for traditional construction materials. The increased strength and reduced weight of composites means that four wing spars can now do the job of five on the prototypes, and 13 fuselage frames replace 23. The tailplane comprises a honeycomb-structure core wrapped in chemically machined outer skins, much lighter and stronger than a traditional metal frame covered with aluminium strips. Metal-to-metal bonding is used for control surfaces to minimize part count.

PedigreeAt the core of any modern warplane are computers and for a trainer, simulation means using comput-ers to simulate weapons, radar, sen-sors and the entire virtual environ-ment. Alenia Aermacchi offers a full range of training aeroplanes from the veteran propeller-driven SF-260, which has now been fitted with a glass cockpit, up to the M-345, a derivative of the M-311 for the basic-

advanced phase of the jet training syllabus and finally the M-346 itself.

Each of these can simulate the characteristics of other aircraft to a greater or lesser extent but they can also carry out real-life combat operations. Sitting as it does at the top of the range, the M-346 is fitted with avionics modelled on those of the latest military aircraft, such as the Eurofighter, Saab Gripen, Dassault Rafale and Lockheed Martin JSF as well as legacy platforms, among them Lockheed Martins F-16. Italys aircraft will be fitted with a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) that will project flight data directly on to the helmets visor, and an integrated stores management system, much as one would expect to encounter on a modern fighter. Provision has been made for a real tactical datalink, multi-mode radar and electronic warfare system (EWS). The aircraft will respond to voice command inputs, and the library of commands is increasing all the time.

Training delivery systemIn its training role the M-346 should be seen as only one part of Alenia Aermacchis Integrated Training System (ITS) which is based around the aircrafts built-in Embedded Tactical Training System (ETTS) and a GBTS. The ETTS allows air forces to provide a wide range of training functions using simulated, rather than real, weapons and ground and air threats.

Two key embedded simulation areas comprise, firstly, in-flight sensor and scenario simulation; electronic warfare (EW), threat warnings and active threats such as surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). Secondly, in-flight weapons simulation enables student pilots

As part of the process to become certifi ed to carry out air-to-air refuelling, an M-346 underwent a series of electrostatic discharge tests at Alenias Venegono plant in March. The tests, conducted with the aid of the British Cobham Laboratory, demonstrated that there was no risk of sparks leading to explosion.



Below: Low-rate initial production M-346, C.M.X617 (c/n 6964/003), a company development aircraft, crashed on May 13 shortly after taking off from Turin-Caselle Airport, Italy. The Alenia Aermacchi test pilot, Matteo Maurizio ejected safely.

to carry out attacks in both air-to-air (A2A) and air-to-ground (A2G) modes exactly as if they were using real weapons, using the same symbology and weapon delivery parameters. This training does not have to be conducted over an instrumented range. The Windows-based Mission Support Station (MSS) is used to create simulated scenarios during pre-mission planning. The whole scenario is then loaded into the aircrafts system before flight. At the conclusion of the exercise, data from the MSS, including the pilots scores in weapons deployment, can be downloaded and used for debriefing.

Single- or multi-ship networked packages can fight against each other in a tactical air and ground environment portrayed on a digital map using on-board sensors, such as multimode radar and active/passive electronic countermeasures (ECM). Networked missions can be played out with participating aircraft exchanging tactical scenario data with a dedicated training datalink. The use of Computer Generated Forces (CGF) rather than real people and machines offers obvious financial savings.

As is to be expected, a full-mission simulator (FMS) forms part of the GBTS. The fully developed simulator, provided by CAE, provides a realistic training environment including sound and a 360 domed field-of-view. Equipped with a full g-suit and

g-systems it is just like being in the real thing. It can be networked with other FMSs to perform Distributed Mission Training. Before he or she graduates to the FMS a lot of time will have been spent on the part-task trainer (PTT). The PTT is a full-scale and accurate representation of the M-346 aircraft cockpit with replicated panels, displays, switches and controls but only a 180 field of view. Both training devices can be monitored from a dedicated instructors operating station. In common with other companies Alenia Aermacchi offers a fully computerised academic training system.

A proper warplaneM-346 has been designed from the outset as multirole combat aircraft. It is fitted with nine hard-points, allowing carriage of up to 6,612lb (3,000kg) of stores externally. The manufacturer says that its two engines give the M-346 a significant advantage over rival platforms that only have one. As well as its large fuel capacity, which gives long combat persistence, the in-flight refuelling probe enables trainees to practise A2A refuelling and confers extended range whilst carrying stores. The jet is fitted with an auxiliary power unit (APU) for autonomous engine starting via an air turbine starter. This means that electrical and pneumatic power, including air conditioning, are available should the jet make an unscheduled landing away from base. British Martin-Baker IT16D

The second prototype M-346, serial C.M.X616.




ejection seats with 0-0 capability (safe ejection on the ground) are fitted with an inter-seat sequence subsystem which allows the seats to be ejected singly, or as a pair, through the canopy. An On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) is backed up by an oxygen subsystem bottle located under the seat pan. An emergency oxygen system, activated manually or automatically on ejection, uses a bot-tle mounted on the back of the seat.

First ordersThe first orders came from the AMI when an order for six, with an option for nine more, was announced on June 18, 2009. In Italian service the aircraft will be known as the T-346A Master. Two examples were delivered in April 2011 for use by the AMIs 311 Gruppo, part of the RSV. At the time of AFMs visit to Venegono in late April both jets were present for further work at the factory, while a third aircraft destined for the AMI was being used for tests to integrate the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile with the airframe.

In July 2010, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSiAF) announced that it had selected the M-346 to be the flying component of its advanced jet trainer (AJT) syllabus, the Fighter Wings Course. This was confirmed on September 28, that same year, when ST Aerospace and Boeing were revealed as the future joint provider of the training, acquiring 12 M-346s for the purpose along with a ground-based training system (GBTS). The M-346s will replace the McDonnell Douglas Super Skyhawks that have been used by the RSiAFs No.150 Squadron, at Cazaux Air Base in southwest France, for many years. On February 16, 2012, it was first revealed that Israel had chosen the M-346 Master as its future LIFT (lead-in fighter training) platform where it will be known as the Lavi. The Republic of Koreas KAI T-50 Golden Eagle had been the other aircraft in the running. A joint venture company called Thor is being established by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems to purchase 30 aircraft to provide LIFT for Israel. Under the terms of the deal, believed to be worth about US $1 billion, the consortium will provide training resources, maintaining and operating the aircraft on behalf of the air force. The contract between Alenia Aermacchi and the Israeli MoD to supply 30 M-346s was signed on July 19, 2012. First deliveries are expected next year.

Although there had been a lot of interest, no other orders have been forthcoming. As long ago as early 2009 reports emerged that the United Emirates Air Force and Air Defence (UAEAF&AD) was in negotiations with Alenia Aermacchi to buy 48 M-346s to replace its BAE Systems Hawk trainers. Again it was said to have beaten KAIs T-50 in the competition for the order. Reports suggested that 20 of the aircraft would be configured purely as LIFT platforms, while 18 would be combat-capable for the light ground-attack role. The remaining ten examples were said to be required to equip a dedicated aerobatic display team. However, despite the high hopes for a big order, nothing more has happened and it now appears that the UAE is completely re-thinking its plans for new aircraft.

In June 2011 Polands Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals from industry for tenders for a new Integrated Advanced Training System (IATS), to include eight advanced jet training (AJT) aircraft, plus an option to order a further four at a later date. The original Polish requirement required the winning aircraft to have equipment usually found on a high-tech fighter-bomber aircraft but a newer one has reduced the level of sensors and avionics and the complexity and number of weapons. When this year's June 7 deadline expired, the Polish MoDs Armament Inspectorate confirmed it had received offers from Alenia Aermacchi, with the M-346; BAE Systems Hawk AJT (which does not have FBW), and Lockheed Martin UK marketing KAIs T-50 Golden Eagle. At the time of writing the winner had not been announced.

M-346 TECHNICAL DATADimensions: SerialSpan 31ft 10in (9.72m)Length 37ft 8in (11.49m)Height 16ft 1in (4.91m)Wing area 253.167sq ft (23.52m2)Weights:Take-off (clean) 16,310lb (7,400kg)Take-off (maximum) 22,490lb (10,200kg)Max external load * 6,610lb (3,000kg) * Up to nine store stationsPower Plant and fuel:Turbofan 2 x Honeywell F124-GA-200 Max Thrust, SLS, ISA 2 x 6,280lb (2 x 2,850kg) Internal fuel, usable 4,410lb (2,000kg)External fuel, usable (3x630l tanks) 3,340lb (1,515kg)Performance (Clean, ISA):Max level speed 590 KTAS (knots true air speed)Limit speed 572 KEAS (knots equivalent air speed) Stall speed (reference) 95 KCAS (knots calibrated air speed)Rate of climb (from sea level (SL)) 22,000ft/min Service ceiling 45,000ft Range Clean/3 External tanks (10% reserve) 1,070/1,470nm Max sustained Load Factor (SL) 8.0gMax sustained Load Factor (15,000ft) 5.2g Max sustained Turn Rate (15,000ft) 13 per second Take-off Run (SL) 1,310ft (400m)Landing roll, 20% internal fuel (SL) 1, 800ft (550m)Limit Load Factor +8/-3 g

afm

The leading edge fi ns, resembling little vertical tails above the engine intakes, improve directional stability.

The cockpit of the Italian Air Force version of the jet. In Italian service it will be designated T-346A Master.


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