Leonardo yesterday delivered to the Italian Air Force the first two M-345, whose identification number of the Forza Armed is T-345A.
The Air Force has ordered 18 M-345 to date as part of an overall requirement of 45 airplanes that will have to progressively replace the 137 MB-339s that entered the line from 1982.
Marco Zoff, Head of Leonardo's Aircraft Division, declared: “heir to a long tradition in the field of training jets, the M-345 will allow customer Air Forces to significantly improve training effectiveness and reduce operating costs. This first delivery to the Air Force represents an important result, the result of a long and fruitful team work carried out with the Armed Force ".
The new M-345, designed to meet the basic and basic-advanced training requirements, will integrate the M-346s used for the advanced phase of pilot training, supporting the consolidation of the growth process of the Air Force's training capabilities. .
The integrated training system based on the ground and flight segment of the M-345 confirms Leonardo's worldwide technological leadership in training pilots for current and future generation aircraft, benefiting from the experience and technology already developed for the 'M-346, including the “Live Virtual Constructive” capability, ie the possibility of integrating the aircraft in flight with simulated “friendly” or “enemy” elements, allowing the future pilot to be “exposed” to the complexity of any possible operational scenario.
The M-345 is a high-performance aircraft capable of making it easier for pilots to pass from basic trainers to the latest generation fighters. The acquisition of the new aircraft by the Italian Air Force represented an important step in the modernization of the Arma Azzurra fleet which will use it instead of the MB-339 A aircraft, for the execution of the second and third phases of the training of a military pilot and as a new platform for the National Aerobatic Team (PAN).
