• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer

In 2008, ST Aerospace teamed with Alenia Aermacchi and The Boeing Company to form a consortium to jointly bid the M346 aircraft for the RSAF Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) replacement program. 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.

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 07 August 2012. The roll-out ceremony was attended by officials from the RSAF, key representatives from ST Aerospace, The Boeing Company and Alenia Aermacchi, as well as staff representatives involved in the 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 programme. 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”. ~ Giuseppe GIORDO, Alenia Aermacchi’s CEO.

“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.” ~ CHANG Cheow Teck, President, ST Aerospace.

With the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) new advanced jet trainer Alenia Aermacchi M-346, fighter pilot trainees can train in more realistic air combat environments, handle sophisticated systems early in their training, and be better equipped for fighter operations.

ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi delivered the last of the 12 M-346 new generation advanced trainers to the RSAF in March 2014. The RSAF marked a milestone in its transformation of flying training as it inaugurated the M-346 aircraft into 150 Squadron (SQN) on 03 Sepember 2014 at Cazaux Air Base in France. Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, who officiated at the inauguration ceremony, highlighted the enhancements to the quality and realism of the RSAF’s fighter flying training that the M-346 aircraft brought about.

"The M-346 - its aerodynamic performance, excellent handling qualities and modern avionics systems - allows our pilots to be better trained," he said, adding that the advanced jet trainer stood out from its predecessors because it could expose pilot trainees to realistic operational environments at the early stage of their training. Acquired in 2010 as part of the RSAF's Advanced Jet Trainer replacement program to replace the A-4SU Super Skyhawk, the M-346 aircraft replicates the flight performance and avionics of advanced modern-day fighter aircraft. The RSAF took delivery of the first aircraft in 2012. To date, it has received the full fleet of 12 M-346 jet trainers.

Noting that the global industry of fighter planes was undergoing revolutionary technological change, Dr Ng said the introduction of the M-346 aircraft was timely as it would enable a smooth transition from the advanced fighter jet trainers to the actual fighter aircraft.

On the capabilities which the M-346 aircraft brings to the RSAF, Commanding Officer 150 SQN Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Kelvin Wan said: "The M-346 aircraft helps to enhance pilot training by introducing advanced combat skills at an earlier stage of training. Skills such as radar employment, Beyond-Visual-Range missile engagements and precision weapons delivery are all possible now, with the M-346 aircraft."

At the inauguration ceremony, Dr Ng also commended the air and ground crew of 150 SQN for their competence and dedication, which were evident in their recent achievements. In February, the squadron became the first in the world to operationalise the M-346 aircraft for its ab-initio (starting from scratch) aircrew training. In March, it produced the first pilot trainee in the world to fly solo on the advanced jet trainer. Maintaining high safety standards, the squadron achieved its first 1000 accident-free hours on the M-346 aircraft in June. In the same month, 150 SQN participated in the Cazaux Air Show with a combined aerial fly-past of three M-346s with the French Alpha jets.

Sharing his thoughts on being the first pilot trainee who flew solo on the advanced jet trainer, Lieutenant (LTA) Pan Shang Hua said: "I'm definitely proud and honoured to be the first student pilot to fly solo on the M-346.... I think it reflects very well on the confidence that the RSAF has in the aircraft, as well as the confidence the instructors have in me."

The inauguration of the M-346 aircraft into 150 SQN also marked the significance of the RSAF's overseas training in honing its operational readiness and professionalism, and in enhancing bilateral defence ties with the host country. The RSAF's training in France began in 1998, and both air forces agreed in 2011 to extend the Cazaux detachment to 2035.

The M-346 has low acquisition and operation costs and adopts innovative design solutions: it is an aircraft with full authority quadruplex Fly-by-Wire control system that, thanks to the optimization of the aerodynamic configuration, allows it to remain fully controllable at angles of attack of over 30 degrees. This, combined with the twin-engine configuration, the duplication and redundancy of the electric and hydraulic system and the choice of state-of-the-art equipment, makes the M-346 the most modern pre-operational tactical training aircraft in the world.

The M-346 is equipped with a digital avionic system, fully modeled on those of new generation military aircraft such as the F-16 Block 52+ currently in service with the Polish Air Force, and is well-suited for every phase of advanced and pre-operational training, enabling fewer required flight hours on the more expensive frontline aircraft.

The M-346 integrates the ETTS (Embedded Tactical Training Simulation), a function that has the ability to simulate a complete suite of sensors, countermeasures and armaments, and also to create a virtual tactical scenario, simulating air, naval and land forces, enemy or friend, interacting in real time with the aircraft during the training missions.

Alenia Aermacchi’s Integrated Training System (ITS) includes, together with the M-346, an exhaustive Ground Based Training System (GBTS), enabling student pilots to learn and rehearse the entire aircraft syllabus and all training objectives on the ground, before replicating them in flight.