Alenia North America is quietly previewing a new marketing blitz to bolster the M346 Master's bid to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon as the US Air Force's next advanced jet trainer.
The online campaign, rolled out on Alenia NA's web site earlier this week, rebrands the Italian M346 as the "T-100 integrated training system (ITS)".
Although EADS North America is chasing the KC-X contract as a prime contractor, Alenia NA is actively seeking US partners to front its bid for the emerging T-X contract, which would replace about 450 T-38s with about 350 new aircraft and dozens of simulators.
The T-100 brand is an interesting choice. Alenia's primary competitor for T-X so far is the Lockheed Martin/KAI T-50 Golden Eagle. Perhaps by subtle implication, Alenia aims to show branding superiority in a T-100 versus T-50 competition. Or maybe it's just a nice, round number.
I'll assume that rebranding the M346 as the T-130, as an homage to the original Yakovlev project that spawned the Italian trainer, was swiftly ruled out.
The online campaign, rolled out on Alenia NA's web site earlier this week, rebrands the Italian M346 as the "T-100 integrated training system (ITS)".
Although EADS North America is chasing the KC-X contract as a prime contractor, Alenia NA is actively seeking US partners to front its bid for the emerging T-X contract, which would replace about 450 T-38s with about 350 new aircraft and dozens of simulators.
The T-100 brand is an interesting choice. Alenia's primary competitor for T-X so far is the Lockheed Martin/KAI T-50 Golden Eagle. Perhaps by subtle implication, Alenia aims to show branding superiority in a T-100 versus T-50 competition. Or maybe it's just a nice, round number.
I'll assume that rebranding the M346 as the T-130, as an homage to the original Yakovlev project that spawned the Italian trainer, was swiftly ruled out.
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