Finmeccanica’s M-346 AJT

Tornado refuels M346

Alenia’s Aermacchi’s M-346 advanced jet trainer began life in 1993, as a collaboration with Russia. It was also something of a breakthrough for Alenia Aermacchi, confirming that the Finmeccanica subsidiary could design and manufacture advanced aircraft with full authority quadriplex fly-by-wire controls. Those controls, the aircraft’s design for vortex lift aerodynamics, and a thrust:weight ratio of nearly 1:1, allow it to remain fully controllable even at angles of attack over 35 degrees. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale. Not to mention Sukhoi’s SU-30 family, which has made a name for itself at international air shows with remarkable nose-high maneuvers.
The Russian collaboration did not last. For a while, it looked like the Italian jet might not last, either. It did though, and has become a regular contender for advanced jet trainer trainer contracts around the world – including its biggest potential opportunity, in the USA

Italy’s M-346: Fast Plane, Slow Aerospace

From Partnership to Solo Flight

Yak-130

The original Italian and Russian partners partners on this project eventually went their separate ways, and Russia’s Yak-130 went on to limited initial success. It uses Russian equipment, avionics, radar, and weapons, and is powered by a pair of AI-222-25 or Povazske Strojarne DV-2SM (export option) turbofans. By 2006 the aircraft had beaten the MiG-AT and Sukhoi’s S-54 to be selected as Russia’s next advanced jet trainer, bagged an export order from Algeria as a trainer and light attack aircraft, and received interest from several additional customers.
Italy’s M346 didn’t develop the same light attack capabilities as its Russian counterpart, and it flies using Fiat Avio/Honeywell ITEC’s F124-GA-200 turbofans, and uses its own distinct set of avionics, training systems.
Some 3rd party data sheets for the aircraft state various weapons-carrying options, but the company has been silent concerning any weapons trials, while avoiding any mention of armaments in data sheets, and issuing releases that clearly place the light attack variant in the future tense as something that would happen if the UAE signs a contract. That hasn’t happened yet, and Finmeccannica companies have not been able to clarify its status; as such, DID must characterize the M-346 as a training-only aircraft, unlike its Yak-130 counterpart or other lead-in fighter trainer competitors.

Slow Aerospace & M-346 Exports

M-346 at Deblin AB,
Poland in 2010

Despite serious development work since 2000, and aid from the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, by the end of 2008, Alenia’s M346 had no confirmed customers at all.
The Italian Aeronautica Militare announced the plane’s first confirmed contract in November 2009, and their current trainer fleet of 102 MB-339s offers room for future M-346 sales beyond the initial 15. At present, only 30 of their existing trainers have been modernized to the MB-339CD variant.
Finmeccanica’s first real breakthrough abroad came at IDEX 2009, however, when the UAE selected it for a 48-plane order. That deal is estimated to be worth about EUR 1 billion, but has yet to become a contract. A more solid breakthrough took place in late 2010, when Singapore picked the M-346 over Korean Aerospace and Lockheed Martin’s supersonic T-50 Golden Eagle. Israel followed with a similar decision in 2012, citing future compatibility with the F-35. That can only be good news for future European sales, and The Italian Defence Ministry has been heavily involved in supporting the M346 Master’s bids round the world, even pledging a billion-dollar offset buy of Israeli defense equipment.
Alenia Aermacchi states that their plane is currently seeking potential orders in Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia; and Poland can also be added to that list.

T-38A Talons

Alenia’s largest opportunity by far involves the USA’s potential T-X competition, which would replace about 450 Northrop Grumman T-38 Talon supersonic trainers with about 350 new aircraft, and dozens of accompanying simulators. The USAF is conducting an analysis of alternatives, and was expected to decide around 2011 whether to replace the T-38 fleet with a new aircraft this decade, or to extend their service lives and delay their replacement until after 2020. T-X is still waiting for that decision, and budgetary pressures are making the latter option steadily more likely.
If a T-X decision aims for new aircraft, the M-346 aims to compete for that role as the “T-100 Training System.” A win there would easily outweigh all other opportunities put together, but the challenge will be finding an American partner to compete against Lockheed Martin (T-50 Golden Eagle) and BAE Systems (Hawk 128). Aermacchi has already said that it would install a complete production line in the USA, and aim to source about 70% American content. Even so, a lone bid, in such an important competition, without a major America firm as prime contractor, would create very large political risks. A relationship already exists with Boeing to market and support the M-346 around the world, but that agreement doesn’t include the USA, and Boeing is still reportedly weighing its options.

M-346: Contracts and Key Events

“T-100”

Feb 17/12: US T-X delayed. The USAF confirms that it won’t make a T-X selection until 2016, and doesn’t expect initial operational capability for its new trainers until 2020. Until then, they’ll continue to use 2-seat F-16s to bridge the gap from the T-38 to the F-22A and F-35. The extra time could be bad news for Alenia, as their international sales partner Boeing is reportedly readying a design of their own. Flight International discusses a notional twin-tail, single-engine trainer, which sounds rather like ATG & IAI’s Javelin design. The magazine also reports that Northrop Grumman is considering its own entry, and a check reveals that their Sept 19/11 announcement of a T-X partnership with BAE no longer displays on BAE’s site or on Northrop Grumman’s. Flight International.
Feb 16/12: Israeli win. Alenia is picked by the IAF as the preferred bidder to stock IAI & Elbit’s TOR public-private joint training venture. Governmental approval is required, and a contract award for 30 planes is expected later in 2012. If the expected billion-dollar contract is signed, deliveries would be expected to begin in the middle of 2014.
In return, Italy is rumored to have pledged to buy an equivalent amount of equipment from Israel: IAI’s CAEW 550 AEW&C jets, and a new jointly-developed reconnaissance satellite.

Note: This article from DID website

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