Vanguard Magazine

PersPeCtiVe Leonardo's new basic-advanced jet trainer, the Aermacchi M-345, is close to entering into service with its first customer, the Ital- ian Air Force. The trainer will be deployed to the 61st Wing in Galatina, South East Italy, at the centre of excellence for mili- tary pilot training of Italian and interna- tional air forces. The Italian Air Force has identified a re- quirement for up to 45 M-345 aircraft to gradually replace the MB-339, in-service since 1982, as the basic-advanced trainer and future platform for the national aero- batic team, Frecce Tricolori. Particular excitement surrounds this im- minent achievement for Leonardo due to the M-345 being considered a generational leap in its segment. The trainer represents a market breakthrough in terms of effec- tiveness as well as efficiency. The M-345 was designed as a response to the custom- ers' search for the highest level of training, and the most efficient use of fixed finances. Therefore, the goal of the M-345 is to max- imise training effectiveness, as well as inno- vate training solutions that are suitable to modern and future training concepts. In a segment dominated by turboprop trainers, the M-345 concept originated from a trend observation that saw an in increase in the technical complexity of propeller platforms that needed to be pre- sented as "jet-like". Leonardo engineers developed a jet solution, affordable in terms of the acquisition price and opera- tion costs, aimed at a cost comparable to high-powered turboprop trainers. The M-345 has adopted a civil deriva- tive engine with great success, the Williams' FJ44-4M-34 turbofan, which is largely in use on business jet programmes. The whole air- craft system was "designed for maintenance" to reduce the need for on-ground support. It features great accessibility to the on-board systems and the benefits of the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) which optimises the maintenance work by elimi- nating unnecessary interventions. The re- duced workforce numbers and the advanced maintenance management model are well suited to operating the aircraft in a private initiative scheme, or in cooperation with lo- cal companies. Furthermore, jet propulsion does not require the complicated and costly maintenance operations of a propeller and its related subsystem. Moving to "training effectiveness", the M-345's positive performance data fea- tures: a maximum level speed of 425 KTAS at 20,000 feet, a service ceiling of 40,000 feet, and limit load factors of +7/-3.5 g. Furthermore, the benefit from Leonardo's M-346 experience is also visible in terms of the human-machine interface. The M-345's avionics include: HOTAS controls, Head-Up Displays (HUD), Multi-Function Displays (MFD), and these systems are able to match the lat- est generation of fighter avionics, and can adopt the on board Embedded Tactical Training Simulation (ETTS) system, that replicates the whole spectrum of simulated training functions in flight. Finally, with an extended Ground Based Training System (GBTS) syllabus – a strong Canadian footprint in this area dates back to the cooperation with CAE Inc. on the twin engine advanced/lead-in fighter trainer the M-346 – this confirms Leon- ardo's high technical level in training pilots destined to current and future generation aircraft, including the "Live Virtual Con- structive" (LVC) capability: the capability to integrate the in-flight aircraft with simu- lators on-ground sharing in real-time the virtual tactical training environment gen- erated by ETTS (through the insertion of virtual "friends" or "enemies" elements), exposing the future pilot to the complexity of possible operational scenarios. The result is the M-345, a jet trainer at turboprop costs, is an effective solution as an "all-round" single training platform easy and safe for identifying the best cadets from the very beginning, moving them well ahead in the training syllabus, directly to the fighters at Operational Conversion Unit or to a high performance Lead-in Fighter Trainer, as achieved in Italy with the "big brother" M-346. Already showcased at Paris Airshow 2019 as well as other events in Europe, the M-345 will soon have to confirm high expectations with the Italian Air Force, as well as with numerous international air forces that have expressed notable interest in the platform as they commence in-flight testing of the aircraft. To assess how the M-345 would factor into the debate for the evolution of the Royal Canadian Air Force's training sys- tem, Emanuele Merlo, Leonardo's Aircraft Division SVP Trainers, commented: "We have had positive experiences on building partnerships in Canada in the past and we are now back in discussion with several industrial and business entities, re- lated to training devices, management, op- erations, integration and life-cycle-support for the new Integrated Training System, prospecting long-term opportunities for any Canadian company involved in the programme. "An example of collaboration is seen in the company's partnership with CAE for the M-346 advanced jet trainer programme, both in Italy and abroad. Working together for the Full Mission Simulator shows how far Canadian-Italian industrial cooperation can reach in terms of technological level and response to customer needs. "We are strongly committed to the long- term success of Canada's world-class aero- space industry and determined to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with the most innovative, capable and best value so- lution for the training aircraft replacement programme, allowing the early streaming of pilots to fixed- wing or rotary-wing training means significant time and cost savings". M-345 let'S DIScover the InnovAtIve jet trAIner by leonArDo www.vanguardcanada.com APRIL/MAY 2020 19 Sponsored Content READy FOR THE GLOBAL MARKET

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