Cooperation between T-346 AND F-2000 continues

29/07/15

From the 20 to the 24 in July, three T-346A aircraft supplied to the 61 ° Stormo of Lecce-Galatina took off at the military airport of Grosseto, where the 4 ° Stormo is located. The specific objective of the week was the cooperation in flight during missions of the ITT course (Instructors Tactics and Tactics) of the Eurofighter line, whose practical phase began in Grosseto on June 15, and will end in October.

The F2000 ITT line course, which is held by the 20 ° Group, marks a turning point towards further deepening and standardization of all the operational capabilities made available by the new: software, armaments and equipment of the Eurofighter weapon system through a process permanent structure.

The course saw the use of the T-346 aircraft as an "Aggressor" in dissimilar missions, with 1v1 and 2v1 profiles.

At the moment the 61 ° Stormo has completed the first part of the Phase-In of the T-346A: in particular it has reached the Initial Instructional Capability for the first six Instructors who have dealt with the entire development phase of the tactical and employment manuals , preparatory for LIFT (Lead In to Fighter Training) courses. Starting next August, students destined for combat aircraft will perform phase IV on the new Armed Forces trainer. Precisely in consideration of the delicate moment of transition, it is even more important to encourage operational standardization between the training department and the operational departments. The capabilities and characteristics of the T-346 in fact allow us to offer the OCU (Operational Conversion Unit, ed) a product that is very different from the one delivered so far.

The purpose of this activity was to grant the right entry level required by OCU Groups by adapting the training to the needs of the Storms that employ combat fighter pilots. In the latter redeployment the T-346 was used as Aggressor in complex DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat Training) missions and scenarios included in the Operational Conversion Courses (CCO) for training Eurofighter pilots, at the same time this use has permission to maintain and standardize the training of LIFT instructors.

The activity was carried out with different scenarios, from missions in the "visual arena" with close combat profiles, to BVR conditions (beyond visual range) with "radar to radar" interceptions.

All the scenarios were preparatory for the development of tactics and for the optimal operational use of the F2000 HMS (Helmet Mounted Sight) system, an important step in the progress of the operational capabilities expressed by the Eurofighter line, but equally important for the pilots of the 61 ° Wing that will soon be involved in the integration and entry into service of the same system on the T346 aircraft and within the LIFT courses. The interoperability and integration of the T-346A data link system with the F-2000 FPR system, already used and verified in the previous redeployment, have allowed both platforms to fully operate the simulation systems (radar and POD targeting) of the T-346 in BVR missions.

Thanks to this technological combination and the performance of the T-346A aircraft, it has been possible to provide quality training by simulating different scenarios useful for ITT, CCO courses and the manuals and syllabuses of the phase IV course.