Leonardo: the eighteenth M-346 delivered to the Italian Air Force

(To Leonardo)
27/02/18

Today, at the Venegono Superiore (Varese) production site of the Leonardo's Aircraft Division, the ceremony for the delivery of the eighteenth M-346 to the Italian Air Force took place.

The M-346, named T-346A by the Italian Air Force, represents the spearhead of the 61 ° Stormo, the flight training department based in Galatina (Lecce). Military fighter pilots are trained here and personnel from other countries besides Italy are trained: United States, Spain, France, Austria, Holland, Poland, Singapore, Argentina, Greece and Kuwait.

The operational training, carried out in large part on the T-346A, is preparatory to the aerotactic line, that of the fighters as Eurofighter and F-35. Furthermore, the LVC (Live, Virtual and Constructive Simulation) technology, which characterizes the highly advanced M-346 simulation system, allows students to interact, through the simulator, with pilots in the Air Force base. flight within the same training mission.

The M-346 ordered by the Air Forces of Italy, Singapore, Israel and Poland is also the basis of the integrated training system T-100, the solution offered by Leonardo DRS for the competition, called TX, for the integrated system to be training of the US Air Force.

The flight envelope, the high thrust / weight ratio, the ability to develop high angles of incidence and extreme maneuverability allow the M-346 to offer flying conditions comparable to those of the latest generation fighter aircraft. This maximizes the effectiveness of training and reduces the need for missions on more expensive and complex operating aircraft.

The ETTS (Embedded Tactical Training Simulation) system allows the M-346 to emulate sensors, countermeasures and armaments, and pilots to interact in real time with a virtual tactical scenario, with the advantage of greater flexibility and lower costs. Thanks to the data presentation system on the helmet (Helmet Mounted Display), to the voice commands, to the in-flight refueling probe, the M-346 can also perform a complete tactical training.