Israel takes delivery of the first two of 30 M-346s

The Israeli Air Force has taken delivery of the first two of 30 M-346 jet trainers ordered from Italy’s Alenia Aermacchi in 2012.
The jets arrived on July 9 at Israel’s Hatzerim Air Force base, where they will replace TA-4 aircraft.
Another six aircraft are completing assembly at Alenia's Venegono facility near Milan and a further five are undergoing structural part assembly. All 30 aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2016.
Italy has previously delivered 12 aircraft to Singapore, while five of Italy’s order of six will be delivered by year end. It is due to start work on assembling eight aircraft for Poland.
defensenews

Alenia Aermacchi Resumes M346 Flight Testing

Alenia Aermacchi has restarted flight tests of the M346 military jet trainer following the grounding of the aircraft after an accident in May.
The company resumed flights on Aug. 22 following the publication of the technical investigation into the accident
The investigation has been shared with air force customers.
Officials said the aircraft suffered a “technical problem” about 20 min. after takeoff from Turin-Caselle airport. The May 11 accident was the second loss of an M346 prototype. The first prototype aircraft, also owned by the company, crashed in Dubai in November 2011 after departing the air show there. Company officials have not discussed the cause of that crash, but they say the issue is peculiar to the prototype and will not be a problem on production aircraft.
Only a handful of M346s are in service, with deliveries made to the Italy and Singapore air forces. Delivery of the first M-346 to Israel is expected in mid-2014.
Anthony Osborne-aviationweek

Alenia Aermacchi M346 Jet Trainer Still Grounded After Second Crash

Almost three months on from the crash of a pre-series aircraft in Italy on May 11, Alenia Aermacchi’s M346 jet remains grounded as investigations into the causes of the accident continue. The Italian manufacturer has insisted there are no similarities between this incident and the November 2011 accident in which a prototype M346 crashed off the coast of Dubai after appearing in the airshow there.
ainonline

Taiwán busca nuevos aviones de entrenamiento/ Taiwan seeks new jet trainer

Taiwán necesita un nuevo avión de entrenamiento para sustituir a sus anticuados AT-3 y F-5 jets. Se ha propuesto a AIDC que desarrolle un nuevo modelo basado en el el IDF o el AT-3.
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Taiwan needs a new jet trainer to replace its aging AT-3 and F-5 jets. AIDC has proposed to develop a trainer based on the IDF or AT-3. However, the military is slow to respond.
AIDC is worried that by dragging its feet, the RoCAF could source for a new trainer overseas when time runs out.
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Roll out de los primeros M-346 para la Fuerza Aérea Italiana/ Alenia Aermacchi rolls-out of first two T-346A trainers for the Italian Air Force/

Los primeros dos M-346 de entrenamiento avanzado para la Fuerza Aérea Italiana, han efectuado su roll out en la planta de Alenia en Venegono Superiore, Varese. Forman parte del pedido inicial de seis unidades para la Aeronautica Militare. En Venegono se están fabricando las 12 unidades pedidas por Singapur.
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The first two M-346 advanced trainers rolled out today from the Alenia Aermacchi assembly line at the company’s factory at Venegono Superiore near Varese, in North Western Italy. The two are leading planes from the first batch of six aircraft on order for the Italian Air Force. The facility operates a highly automated production line currently processing four additional aircraft for the Italian Air Force aircraft and 12 trainers ordered by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
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La USAF prepara sustituto para el veterano entrenador T-38 Talón/ USAF prepare for T-38 replacement

LA USAF lanzará en los próximos meses el concurso T-X, para sustituir al avión de entrenamiento Northrop T-38 Talon, cuya entrada en servicio fue en 1962. Se espera que se presenten al mens cinco compañías para sustituir a los 450 T-38 en servicio, y que son el paso previo a aviones como el F-22 y el F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Para 2012, la USAF debe seleccionar al fabricante de 350 aviones para sustituir al T-38. El T-50 Golden Eagle es ofrecido por Korea Aerospace Industries y Lockheed conjuntamente.
Alenia Aermacchi con el M-346 Master y el BAE Systems Hawk 128 también se presentarán, pero necesitan encontrar un socio local para presentarse, requisito necesario según la legislación norteamericana.
Boeing mantiene su estrategia sobre el T-X, en secreto, aunque ha declarado manejar varias opciones. Northrop, el fabricante del T-38, probablemente ofrecerá un programa para extender la vida útil del Talon.
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The US Air Force may be within months of launching a contest to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon trainer that was introduced in 1962.
At least five companies are plotting potential bids to win the contract to replace 450 T-38s and become the go-to trainer option worldwide for Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation fighters - the F-22 and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
By 2012, the USAF may select a contractor to build at least 350 aircraft to replace the T-38 alone.
The T-50 Golden Eagle is now offered by Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed.
Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master and BAE Systems Hawk 128 will be also offered but they need to find US partners.
Boeing is keeping its strategy for T-X mostly secret, but have stated to have various options
Northrop as the legacy T-38 supplier, may be offering a service life extension programme for the Talon fleet.
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M-346 ofrecido como futuro avión de entrenamiento de la USAF

Alenia North America, ha iniciado una campaña para promocionar su M-346, como sustituto de los veteranos T-38 de entrenamiento de la USAF. Para este concurso el avión recibe la denominación T-100.
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Israel pedirá información sobre futuro entrenador en Junio/Israel to issue jet trainer request for information in June

Israel emitirá un requerimiento de información en junio para un nuevo avión de entrenamiento para su fuerza aérea. Ejecutivos de Alenia Aermacchi y Korea Aerospace Industries han visitado el país recientemente donde se han reunido con altos funcionarios del Ministerio de Defensa.
Israel Aerospace Industries y Elbit Systems están en conversaciones para una joint venture, mediante la cual comprarían el avión seleccionado y venderían las horas de vuelo a la Fuerza Aérea.
Israel está considerando el Alenia Aermacchi M-346 y el KAI T-50 como potenciales sustitutos de lso Douglas A-4 Skyhawk utilizados actualmente.
www.flightglobal.com
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Israel's defence ministry is expected to issue a request for information for a new fleet of advanced jet trainers in June.
Officials from Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries have recently visited the country and met Israeli air force, defence ministry and industry representatives.
Meanwhile, Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems are in advanced negotiations over a proposed joint venture that would see the companies buy the selected aircraft and sell flight hours to the air force.
Israel's air force is considering the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and KAI T-50 as potential replacements for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks used at its flight academy.
IAI and Elbit are also talking to the potential suppliers ahead of a selection. Sources say their joint venture may also include assembly of the selected trainer in Israel, in addition to the installation of locally made avionics equipment.

www.flightglobal.com

El M-346 se perfila como futuro entrenador europeo/Finmeccanica and EADS Agree On A Joint Proposal to Offer the M-346 for Jet Pilot Training

Como respuesta al requerimiento de la Agencia Europea de Defensa para un futuro entrenador, Alenia Aermacchi y EADS respondieron conjuntamente ofreciendo el M346 siguiendo el acuerdo firmado entre ambos en 2009. Según los fabricante el M346 cumple con los requisitos de los nueve países participantes en el programa de entrenamiento conjunto (AEJPT-Avanced European Joint Pilot Training , en el que participan Austria, Bélgica, Finlandia, Francia, Alemania, Grecia, Italia, Holanda, Portugal, España, Suecia y Suiza. España ofrece la base de Talavera la Real como sede.
(www.defense-aerospace.com)
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On 15 March 2010, Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, and EADS submitted a joint response to the Request For Information (RFI) issued by the European Defence Agency (EDA) on 15 July 2009 about the Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) programme.
This initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Alenia y EADS in December 2009 regarding their collaboration to supply an integrated training system based on the M-346 Master advanced trainer aircraft which meets the specific requirements of the nine European countries participating in the AEJPT programme.
(www.defense-aerospace.com)

SINGAPUR ELEGIRÁ ENTRENADOR EN MARZO /SINGAPORE CHOICE OF AN ADVANCED JET TRAINING SYSTEM IS DUE NEXT MONTH

La elección por Singapur de un nuevo sistema de entrenamiento aéreo avanzado el próximo mes de marzo, podría ser crucial para el M-346 Master (Italia), y el T-50 Golden Eagle (Corea del Sur). Estos jets de entrenamiento disimilar son los ofrecidos por los principales contratistas, ST Aero y Lockheed Martin. La decisión influirá en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, que no terminaron de confirmar el pasado Noviembre, su anunciada selección del M-346. La diferencia entre los procesos de elección es que Singapur contrata un sistema de entrenamiento global, y Emiratos Árabes Unidos solamente un avión. Lockheed Martin ya proporciona entrenamiento a la Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), bajo un contrato firmado a finales de 2006.
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Singapore’s choice of an advanced jet training system is due next month and could be crucial to the future export prospects of Italy’s M-346 Master and Korea’s T-50 Golden Eagle. These dissimilar training jets have been bid here by rival prime contractors, ST Aero and Lockheed Martin, respectively. The decision here is likely to influence the United Arab Emirates, which notably failed last November to confirm its previously announced selection of the M-346 over the T-50.
The difference between these two evaluations is that Singapore will contract for a total training system, including simulators and classroom trainers. The UAE is selecting an aircraft and will then hold a separate competition for a training systems provider. Lockheed Martin is already providing the basic wings course to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) under a, private finance contract awarded in late 2006.