Leonardo M-346 Thread

As we all know, Italy is pitching their M-346 to GCAP partners. These are more details.

https://www.flightglobal.com/defenc...er-as-block-20-update-advances/162492.article
The model they are pitching is block 20 which concluded PDR last year and is set for CDR on the second half of this year. First customer of the block 20 will be Austria. Though is is still yet to be decided whuch AESA will be used for Austrian model, which is surprising, since I've thought that it automatically would be Griffo-E.

Though it is also true that Hanwha and Leonardo signed a deal to joint-develop a small AESA for this class, so maybe for future customers it would be offered instead of the older Griffo-E which has become a bit dated.

of 140+ ordered, 99 are in service. Main focus in developing a GCAP-oriented M-346 is the MMI. Makes sense since a GCAP trainer would need to play the role of LIFT to 6th gen as well as surrogate to GCAP, which would be very expensive to simply use for peace-time training. Replicating GCAP MMI with onboard ETS would be key.

Anywyas, it seems like the right time and right mood for the M-346 to find further success. and it also makes sense for both Britain and Japan as well.
 
But can it do the 20deg AoA as required? I did not also read any listed modifications planned to the landing gear. Anything in the work? Changing display size is pretty good but hard data on performances might be more valuable. (remember the T-X disaster)
 
One question that I have got concerning the M-346 is what are the chances of the RAF buying the type to replace the Hawk as an advanced jet trainer? The hawk is getting on and the M-346 would be a good replacement for it.
 
FighterJock said:
One question that I have got concerning the M-346 is what are the chances of the RAF buying the type to replace the Hawk as an advanced jet trainer? The hawk is getting on and the M-346 would be a good replacement for it.
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Good point.
Leonardo has recently proposed the M-346 Block 20 as common trainer for all the Tempest partners.
 
bob225 said:
Nope, not sure that's going to happen:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/34313032/raf-red-arrows-jets-russian-planes/
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Calling It a russian designs sound's like Italy took a russian design and rebranded It without taking into account that It was a joint development (and both M346 and yak130 are very different even from a design perspective, the only thing they have in common Is theyr father, the Yak/aem 130 demonstrator wich Is clearly not what Is proposed to the UK). Here a small graph just for point out theyr external differences, which Is the only part were they share some similarity (without taking into consideration sistems, weapons and every internal part).
 

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The Sun or any UK tabloid newspaper - or any newspaper come to that - should not be relied on as a source of news.
I doubt anyone on the staff of the Sun is even old enough to remember the original Alenia/Yakovlev agreement!
The dissolving of the partnership in 2000 is in line 3 of the Wikipedia article - the budding journo didn't even need to read more than two sentences!

Just sheer rage bait for the sake of making a fuss out of completely nothing.
 
Archibald said:
Sorry for the swearing. Back to the point I wanted to make... M-346 and Yak-130 split 25 years ago, hence the Sun "argument" is the silliest thing I've ever red. I mean, the outrage would be understandable if the Red Arrows were given Yak-130s. But, as I said before THE TWO SPLIT 25 YEARS AGO !!!
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Thank you, the biggest problem is that the greater unwashed read and believe everything "the Sun" report.

Why let the truth in the way of a clickbait story.

I can see politicians being swayed by the potential negative opinions, but with GCAP it would make lots of sense for RAF, Italy and Japan to all use the same trainer, perhaps that will be part of the whole package?

Frecce Tricolour certainly look cool in them, lets hope the Reds do go that way.

Cheers
 
RAF : GOOD LORD WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE ?

AERALIS : PROTOTYPE.

RAF : A PROTOTYPE AERALIS !? AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AT THIS TIME OF DAY, IN THIS PART OF THE INTERNET, LOCALIZED ENTIRELY WITHIN THIS THREAD !?

AERALIS ...Yes!

RAF : ... May I see it?

AERALIS : ...No.
 
Removed some posts which broke forum rules and replies to them.

No political posts includes no offensive statements about political parties and their followers, and also no unsourced allegations of government corruption.
 

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