Leonardo is pleased to announce that the Aeronautical and Airworthiness Armaments Department (DAAA), certification body of the Italian Ministry of Defense, has issued the 'Initial Certification' for the M-345 training aircraft. The certification represents the goal of an intense activity that involved about 200 flights and the fundamental support of the Experimental Flight Department, the 61st Wing and the 10th Aircraft Maintenance Department of the Italian Air Force.
Lucio Valerio Cioffi, Head of Leonardo's Aircraft Division, commented: "The recognition of the initial certification of the M-345 confirms the characteristics and capabilities of this aircraft, unique in its kind for performance, acquisition and management costs, projecting this full-fledged aircraft on the international market. The result achieved, Cioffi underlines, is the result of a strong synergy between industry, DAAA and the Armed Force with a view to the Country System which fits fully in the wake of excellence in training recognized internationally by the Italian Armed Forces ".
The certification of the M-345 is the first application for a fixed wing aircraft of the new standard of the DAAA AER (EP) .P-21, drawn up in accordance with the European EMAR-21 (European Military Airworthiness Requirements) standard - stringent requirement international certification that will also favor the export of the aircraft.
The M-345, thanks to its advanced avionics and integrated training system with innovative simulators also connected to aircraft in flight, will allow the Air Force a significant improvement in training effectiveness and greater efficiency with a reduction in operating costs. The new aircraft, designed to meet basic and advanced basic training requirements, will complement the M-346s used for the advanced phase of pilot training and, as part of the International Flight Training School project, will support the consolidation of the growth and internationalization of the training offer launched by Leonardo in partnership with the Italian Air Force.
The integrated training system based on the ground and flight segment of the M-345 confirms Leonardo's worldwide technological leadership in the training of pilots destined for current and future generation aircraft, benefiting from the experience and technology already developed for M-346, including the "Live Virtual Constructive" capability, that is the possibility of integrating the aircraft in flight with simulated "friends" or "enemies" elements, allowing to "expose" the future pilot to the complexity of any possible operational scenario.
