Page 105 - Australian Defence Magazine Feb-Mar 2023

ADVERTORIAL
THE M-346 AND THE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL:
GROWING TOMORROW’S FLYING ACES
With more than 100 aircraft sold, 85 in service, and 100,000 Flying Hours logged by its current, high demanding operators (Italy, Singapore, Israel, Poland, Qatar and the new International Flight Training School created by Leonardo and the Italian Air Force), the M-346 is an Advanced Jet Trainer that represents the best solution for the development and evolution of fighter pilots’ skills for decades to come.
The strengths of the M-346 are the overall system’s advanced technologies combined with the maturity of the program itself. Compared to competitors’ solutions still under development, the M-346 training system continuously proves its effectiveness for advanced/lead-in fighter training phases. A fully integrated training system developed with the adoption of the latest technologies, it is currently in service with remarkable Air Forces and represents an undisputed benchmark for the entire market.
The M-346 combines high levels of performance and maneuverability. The twin-engine solution together with a four channel Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System guarantees the highest safety. This underpins the multi-layered redundancies of systems and advanced in-flight safety features such as the PARS (Pilot Activated Attitude Recovery System).
Its Embedded Tactical Training System (ETTS) suite emulates on-board sensors as well as a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The M-346 is outfitted with typical features of the latest generation human-machine interface such as the Helmet Mounted Display, Night Vision Goggles, and an in-flight refuelling probe. These features allow student pilots to interact with a trainer that fully simulates their frontline fighter aircraft at an early stage of the training path. The aircraft serves as the fulcrum of an Integrated Training System(ITS),whichalsoincludesanetworkofsimulatorsand ground-based instructional devices. The M-346 ITS provides a
fully operational Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) environment developed entirely by Leonardo. The system allows student pilots to develop the knowledge, skills and practices required for effective exploitation of modern combat aircraft such as the FA-18 Super Hornet and the F-35. The integration of aircraft in-flight (Live), Full Mission Simulator on theground(Virtual),andComputerGeneratedForces(CGF- Constructive) exposes the student pilot to the most complex and challenging operational scenarios, enhancing teaching effectiveness while significantly lowering training costs. Leonardo’s M-346 is also the backbone of the International Flight Training School (IFTS), worldwide renowned example of Italian excellence, a benchmark for the demanding advanced training of military pilots from the world’s leading Air Forces, equippedwithlatestgenerationfighters.LeonardoandCAE support the IFTS operations through their ‘Leonardo CAE Advanced Jet Training’ joint venture.
Already chosen by Qatari, Japanese, German, and Singaporean Air Forces and selected as the flagship campus by the NATO Flying Training in Europe (NFTE) project, the IFTS benefits from the Italian Air Force’s flight training expertise and Leonardo’s advanced technologies for training solutions. The IFTS demonstrates how the M-346 ITS can increase the student pilots’ throughput regardless of the fighter aircraft they will operate.
In Italy and Israel future F-35 pilots are trained with the M-346 Integrated Training System; Poland's M-346 “Bielik” system has also been certified by the US Air Force for the advanced training of fourth and fifth generation fighter pilots.
Thanks to its performance, the M-346 is also a successful “aggressor” platform –the aircraft regularly acts as an “enemy” versus fighters in several NATO exercises – or a companion trainer for frontline squadrons: both additional roles can be easily fulfilled if required by the Australian Defense Force. Leonardo will present its M-346 and the International Flight Training School at the upcoming Avalon Australian International Airshow on Tuesday 28 February 14:00 – 15:00 (Room 4 at the Conference Centre).
leonardo.com