Leonardo participates in the Singapore Airshow, the largest event in the aerospace industry in Asia, from the 6 to the 10 February, aiming at expansion of the presence and commercial growth in the region. Among the leaders in aerospace, defense and security, Leonardo will present its latest technologies and helicopters, aeronautics and avionics products to the market.
With a consolidated presence in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, Japan and Indonesia, Leonardo sees in the Singapore Airshow an important opportunity to present its range of solutions to government and civil customers. Leonardo wants to respond to the growing regional demand in the areas of maritime and land border surveillance, maritime patrolling, air traffic control and air transport, offering state-of-the-art products. The opportunities that arise from these needs make Asia a key area for the future growth of the company, as also highlighted in the Business Plan recently presented by Leonardo. The presence at the Singapore Airshow thus testifies to a vision based on the development of lasting relationships with current and future customers.
Leonardo boasts a historic presence in Singapore, also through an office in the country. In the 2010 the Republic of Singapore Air Force became the first export customer of Leonardo's M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT). The Aermacchi M-346 is the most advanced training aircraft available on the market today and the only one specifically designed to prepare pilots for the latest generation aircraft. 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 M-346 is also the ideal solution for the roles of "aggressor" and "companion trainer". The aircraft, already ordered by the air forces of Italy, Singapore, Israel and Poland, will soon be available in the Fighter Attack configuration to meet further operational requirements.
Leonardo is also in Singapore with its air traffic control systems (ATC). The most recent contract is related to a multimillion-dollar agreement signed in 2015 to improve air traffic control capacity at Singapore's Changi Airport. Leonardo's ATC systems are also active in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Leonardo's excellence in vertical flight is represented by successful helicopters such as the AW189, the market-leading super-medium helicopter and the intermediate AW169 and AW139 models, which make up a new generation of helicopters. Besides 450 helicopters Leonardo of all types have been ordered to date by government, military and commercial operators of the region. These helicopters carry out naval missions, of public utility, of national security, of search and rescue, eliambulanza, transport and patrolling. The presence in Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Indonesia and South Korea is particularly strong.
In the fixed wing, the ATR 72MP, developed by Leonardo using the ATR 72-600 turboprop as a platform, is at the forefront of maritime patrolling and benefits from ATR's global support network, optimizing all logistical support activities connected. The 72MP ATR can perform missions up to 10 hours in roles such as maritime patrol, search and identification of surface shipping, command, control and communication, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, search and rescue, prevention of drug trafficking, piracy, smuggling, security territorial monitoring and intervention in the event of environmental disasters. The C-27J Spartan is the answer to a wide range of operational requirements in the Asia-Pacific region where it is already successfully employed by the Royal Australian Air Force.
Visitors to Airshow will also have the opportunity to learn more about Leonardo's extensive range of ISR sensors and protective devices. Among the products presented, the second-generation AESA (Active Electronic Scanned Array) surveillance radar, the "Osprey" radar, which offers high-performance features without moving parts. The Osprey will be presented together with the PicoSAR AESA radar, the Grifo-346 M-scan radar and a range of electronic war protection and intelligence gathering equipment, as well as IFF and Software Defined Radio (SDR) equipment.
