Israel's mid-February selection of the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 as the next advanced jet trainer for the nation's air force represents the green light for joint-venture service provider TOR to start work.
Formed by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to facilitate the introduction of a fleet to replace the nation's Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, TOR will finance the purchase of about 30 twin-engined M-346 aircraft on behalf of the defence ministry.
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| © Alenia Aermachi Israel will acquire 30 M-346 trainers |
In return for its financial support, the Israeli air force will buy flight hours on the new type at its flight academy at Hazerim air base, and also grant TOR a 20-year support and maintenance contract to support its activities using company personnel.
Initial indications suggest the M-346 deal could potentially value at $1 billion, with sources putting TOR's part in the financing programme at about $600 million. The remainder of the funds will come from foreign military financing grants to Israel from the USA. Israel can make use of the latter mechanism because the M-346 uses Honeywell F124 engines and other systems manufactured in the USA.
Formally selected following a protracted competition against the Korea Aerospace Industries T-50, the M-346 will enter Israeli service from 2014, the nation's air force said.
If the deal with TOR is concluded, Israel will become the third country to acquire the M-346, following Alenia Aermacchi's previous receipt of contracts from Italy and Singapore. Last month, the company delivered its second T-346A trainer to an Italian air force evaluation unit under an initial six-aircraft deal. It will hand over the first of 12 to the Republic of Singapore Air Force later this year.
Israel's search for a new advanced jet trainer has been a long one, with its requirement having been hindered by lack of funds. IAI had previously offered to develop two military versions of the Javelin very light/personal jet, then being developed by the USA's Advanced Technologies Group, but development work ended in 2008 after the latter failed to secure the $200 million required to pursue certification activities for the type.
Fielding a new jet trainer is the last major link in the modernisation of the Israeli air force's pilot-training mechanism, with the Grob G120A and Hawker Beechcraft T-6A used to deliver basic and primary instruction respectively. The future M-346 fleet will replace a mixed inventory of two-seat TA-4H/Js, 20 of which are in active use as recorded by Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. Israel also operates single-seat A-4Ns to support its training needs.
Source: Flight International
