Article Posted on : - Jul 24, 2012

M-346 advanced trainer aircraft. Photo: Alenia Aermacchi.

ROME (BNS): Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, has signed a contract with Israeli Ministry of Defence to supply 30 M-346 advanced trainer aircraft.

The deal is part of a larger Government-to-Government agreement between Israel and Italy that includes aircraft, engines, maintenance, logistics, simulators and training, provided also by other Israeli and international companies.

The new aircraft will replace the A-4 Skyhawks currently in service and will make up the new trainer fleet of the Israeli Air Force. Delivery of the first M-346 is expected in the middle of 2014.

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 specifications and to international military requirements.

The company has delivered the first two of the six M-346s ordered by the Italian Air Force in 2009. The Singapore Government has also signed the first international contract for 12 M-346. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery this year.