Neelam Mathews
Aug 8, 2012
The first M-346 advanced trainer for the Republic of Singapore Air
Force (RSAF) was rolled out in a ceremony held at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.
The rollout follows the obtaining of the type certificate and the
first flight made by this aircraft in July 2012. The delivery of the first
M-346 is scheduled for the end of 2012.
In September 2010, ST Aerospace, as the prime contractor, teaming
with Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica company) and The Boeing Company, was
awarded a contract to supply 12 M-346 aircraft and ground based training system
for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) program.
“We
signed the contract less than two years ago and today we have rolled out the
first of twelve M-346 aircraft for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer program.
This is a particularly important moment for our company, a great team job has
been achieved in strict collaboration with our industrial counterpart, ST
Aerospace, and we are proud to celebrate together with them,” said Giuseppe GIORDO, Alenia Aermacchi’s CEO and
Responsible for Finmeccanica’s Aeronautics Sector .
“The successful rollout of the first
M-346 illustrates the firm commitment by ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi, in
support of the RSAF’s next generation training needs. Together with our
partners we will continue to marry the strengths of one another to deliver an
outstanding solution to our customer,” added CHANG Cheow Teck, President, ST Aerospace.
The M-346 is a platform for a latest-generation integrated
training system. The versatility of the M-346 allows for its configuration as
an affordable advanced combat aircraft. The innovative technical
characteristics of the M-346 provide for a high degree of safety and low
acquisition and operating costs. The M-346 has been designed using the latest
“design-to-cost” and “design-to-maintain” concepts, with an avionics system
modeled on those used in new-generation fighter aircraft, such as Eurofighter,
Gripen, Rafale, F-22 and the F-35.
The M-346 received
its Military Type Qualification Certificate from the Italian Ministry of
Defence - National Armaments Directorate in June 2011, an essential requirement
to certify the full correspondence to aircraft.
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