brochure_m346_12-2011
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3M 46-TRARR IAANOF
TNIFFG TGGHTT
© Alenia Aermacchi - All rights reserved
All photos by Alenia Aermacchi
A F inmeccan ica Company
4
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
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-346
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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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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
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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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 4M-34
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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M-3
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4830
2714
STATIC GROUND LINE
9720
Published in December 2011c
FSC
www.aermacchi.itVia Ing. P. Foresio, 1 - 21040 Venegono Superiore (VA)
A F inmeccan ica Company
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