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A F inmeccan ica Company

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As I slam the throttles through the gate, I feel the

two engines push the M-346 with almost six tons

of thrust. «There are only two types of aircraft:

fighters and targets». At 22,000 feet per minute,

I am exhilarated to know that I’ll find that bogey

before we reach our service ceiling in a couple of

minutes. I scan the sky, reading data off the hel-

met-mounted display and straining the ear for the

radar-warning receiver. The last thing I need is for

a missile to lock-on to my tailpipes.

«Four o’clock!», says my wingman.

I turn towards my target and pull up the nose. It is

good to know that with these engines a flame out

is actually impossible. Despite the g-suit, I can feel

the turn rate and 8 g sustained acceleration and

thank whoever designed the M-346 controls to

be so harmoniously carefree. An instant later I am

maneuvering for my life, with the leading-edge

slats moving without pause. I sweat. Why does

everything happen so fast? «It’s good to know we

have an emergency recovery system to safeguard

us from any fatal mistakes I catch myself thinking

for a split second.

«Lock-on!». I fire.

«Well done. You got him», my instructor says cool-

ly. For him it is easy to remember that our oppo-

nent was merely an electronic trace generated by

the embedded simulation system. It sure felt real

enough to me! I wonder what my flying will look

like when we download the data and sit down

with the instructors to debrief, picking apart

every maneuver to improve my situational awa-

reness, information management, energy mana-

gement – in short, the things which tomorrow will

determine mission success or failure and bring us

back in one piece. That’s what we train for, on the

ground and in the air. But there is still a long way

to go before I become a fighter pilot. A glance at

one of the three the liquid-crystal displays with

its bright primary colors reminds me of my next

training task for today: in-flight refueling. Where is

that big grey flying gas station I am supposed to

hook up with?

We build pilots.

The M-346

M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-34

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M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346 M-346

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 is the only advanced

and Lean-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) created to answer

the true needs of 21st century Air Forces. Now en-

tering service with the Italian Air Force, the M-346

fuses by design the carefree handling and energy

levels of advanced combat aircraft with the lower

operating costs of actual trainers. The advanced

aerodynamics, the intrinsic safety of two-engines,

the system redundancy and superior reliability

are just some of the key features absent on legacy

and derivative aircraft. Performance and Human-

Machine Interface are designed from the outset

to operate within a modern integrated training sy-

stem and provide combat pilots with skills relevant

to latest-generation aircraft, including high Angle

of Attack and sustained and instantaneous high g

maneuvers, Helmet-Mounted Displays, night vision

goggles and dual Head-Up Displays. The M-346

quadruplex digital control system allows the flight

envelope to be set in accordance with training

needs, just as data presentation and symbology

can be set to duplicate the specific aircraft required

by customers. The Alenia Aermacchi embedded

simulation experience, proven on the MB-339CD2

program, broadens this capability to systems not

present on board and to the generation of synthe-

tic traces simulating radar, sensors and aircraft both

enemy and friendly. Together with the ability to mo-

dify scenarios in real time from the ground, this me-

ans that most air-air and air-surface training sorties

can be flown without external assistance, genera-

ting further savings. The robust airframe embodies

the latest “design to cost” and “design to maintain”

concepts. Large composite skins, extensive stan-

dardization, identical components (including the

Honeywell F124 engines) minimize the parts count

and reduce the logistics footprint. These M-346 fe-

atures, which cannot be retrofitted to competitors,

drive down the cost of ownership. The radar-equip-

ped Affordable Advanced Defence Aircraft (AADA)

variant provides additional operational capability

in a number of increasingly important tactical roles.

Mastering the art of flying

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With the M-346 Alenia Aermacchi has levera-

ged its unsurpassed experience in pilot training

to create an Integrated Training System (ITS)

capable of smoothly transitioning pilots fresh

from basic trainers to the latest 4th and 5th ge-

neration fighters. This holistic approach covers

every aspect, from hardware to the carefully

crafted syllabus that allows fewer M-346s to ge-

nerate more sorties. The optimal balance of real

aircraft and appropriate simulation reduces

costs without compromising quality. The addi-

tional safety afforded by the twin-engine con-

figuration goes hand-in-hand with the training

area persistency made possible by their low

consumption. Even maintenance requires just

two levels. The M-346 Lead-In Fighter Trainer is

the vital link in a chain that also comprises the

Ground Based Training System (itself with va-

rious devices including Full Mission Simulators

and Part Task Trainers capable of being networ-

ked with others or with real aircraft in flight),

Integrated Logistic Support and Training Ma-

nagement Information System. The proprietary

Alenia Aermacchi symbology is easily customi-

zed to operators’ needs. M-346 performance

allows students to experience the crucial high

Angle of Attack and transonic areas of the flight

envelope. Coupled with the outstanding M-346

performance and increased despatch reliability,

the Alenia Aermacchi integrated approach al-

lows customers to download training modules

from expensive front-line types, ultimately rele-

asing them for operational duties or conserving

vital flying hours and compounding the overall

ITS cost-effectiveness. As the launch customers,

the Italian Air Force and Republic of Singapore

Air Force, have shown, Alenia Aermacchi can

provide a turnkey ITS including everything from

aircraft to simulators and infrastructures or indi-

vidual packages tailored to customer needs and

capable of accommodating existing or separa-

tely purchased equipment.

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The M-346 Affordable Advanced Defence

Aircraft (AADA) meets the growing de-

mand for a cost-effective ground attack

and homeland defence aircraft capable of

operating in the contemporary networked

battlefield with the same effectiveness of

larger legacy aircraft. The addition of mul-

timode radar, tactical datalink, self-pro-

tection suite and new avionic functions

turn the M-346 in a capable Close Air Sup-

port (CAS), Slow Mover Interceptor (SMI)

and anti-ship platform, with nine hard

points capable of delivering a broad range

of payloads ranging from precision-gui-

ded ordnance to sophisticated air-to-air

missiles. To achieve the accuracy and self-

protection required in tactical situations,

the M-346 AADA has provisions for FLIR,

laser-designator, reconnaissance and ECM

pods. In fact, the modular avionics archi-

tecture allows the integration of almost

any system with standard mechanical and

electronic interfaces. The M-346 AADA

offers full commonality with the trainer

variant. Navigation and attack data are

displayed in both front and rear cockpits,

but missions can be flown single-seat.

With differences mostly limited to specific

“plug-and-play” role equipment, a mixed

trainer/attack fleet offers Air Forces the

additional benefit of strong operational,

maintenance and logistic efficiencies.

Light Attack, Heavy Punch

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Published in December 2011c

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www.aermacchi.itVia Ing. P. Foresio, 1 - 21040 Venegono Superiore (VA)

A F inmeccan ica Company