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Aermacchi M-346Type (Muster)Advanced and lead-in fighter trainer and light combat aircraft (Fortgeschrittenen-Jettrainer und leichtes Kampfflugzeug) Country (Land) Italy (Italien) Manufacturer (Hersteller) Aermacchi Via Ing. P. Foresio 1 21040 Venegono Sup. Italy Phone: 0039-331/813-111 Fax: 0039-331/813-152 Internet: www.aermacchi.it General (Allgemeine Angaben) Crew (Besatzung): 2 in tandem on Martin-Baker Mk.16L ejection seats, allowing 0/0 ejections up to 570 kts Weapons (Bewaffnung): The M-346 will feature four underwing hardpoints under each wing and one under the fuselage, carrying items like
Thrust (Schub): 2 x 2385 kp (6250 lbs) Specific fuel consumption (spezifischer Krafstoffvervrauch): 0,79 kg/h/kp Dimensions (Abmessungen) Length (Länge): 11,49 m Height (Höhe): 4,76 m Span (Spannweite): 9,72 m Wing area (Flügelfläche): 23,52 sq m Weights (Massen) Empty weight (Leermasse): 4625 kg Max. weapons load (max. Waffenlast): 3000 kg Max. fuel (Max. Kraftstoff): 2000 kg internal plus 1350 kg external in three tanks under the wings and the fuselage Normal take-off weight, training (Normale Startmasse, Trainer): 6700 kg Max. take-off weight, with weapons (max. Startmasse, bewaffnet): 9500 kg Performance (Flugleistungen) Max. level speed (max. Horizontalgeschwindigkeit): 983 km/h (585 KTAS), Mach 0.92 at 5000 ft Limit Mach number (max. Machzahl): 1.2 Stall speed (Überziehgeschwindigkeit): 167 km/h (90 KCAS) Max climb rate (max. Steigrate): 20000 ft/min (101 m/s) Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 13715 m (45000 ft) Take-off ground run (Startrollstrecke): 300 m Landing ground roll (Landerollstrecke): 590 m Range (Reichweite): 1890 km (1020 NM) Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): 2540 km (1370 NM) with two drop tanks Radius of action (Einsatzradius): 100 NM for air combat maneuvring training with 20 minutes “action” at 15000 ft 110 NM for close air support, with six bombs, two Sidewinders and gun pod 120 NM for an air-to-air training sortie lasting 65 minutes 120 NM for general handling and circuits, total mission time 80 min 160 NM for a combat air patrol with two Sidewinders, gun pod and 2 tanks 330 NM for interdiction mission with 2 x Mk.83 bombs, 2 Sidewidners, gun pod and two external tanks Max. sustained turn rate (Wenderate): 14,2 deg/sec Limit load factors (max. Lastvielfache): + 8 / - 3 g Service life (Lebensdauer): 10000 flight hours Maintenance man-hours per flight hour: 4.0 Costs (Kosten) In mid-2001, Aermacchi was talking of a price below 15 million US-Dollars for an unarmed M-346. Development costs were estimated at 500 million Euros in mid-2001. Customers (Kunden) None yet. A potential candidate is the Italian Air Force. Also, Aermacchi is pushing the M-346 for the Eurotraining. Aermacchi envisages selling 600 of its new trainer out of a potential market of 2300 in the next 30 years, as the majority of advanced trainers like Hawk and Alpha Jet grow older. Competitors (Konkurrenz) EADS Mako RSK MiG MiG-AT Yakovlev Yak-130 Remarks (Bemerkungen) The M-346 is promoted as a new generation advanced and lead-in fighter trainer, designed to be superior to all existing products in its class and to specifically meet the training requirements for the transition to the new generation high performance combat aircraft like Eurofighter, Rafale or Gripen. It is based on the configuration of the Yak/AEM-130, which functioned as a proof of concept flight demonstrator. Changes include not only the equipment (now exclusively from Western manufacturers), but the new aircraft is smaller as well and many details are simpler. Aermacchi has the worldwide sales rights except Russia and the CIS. The M-346 will offer a high manoeuvrability with an AoA capability of over 40 deg. The modern cockpit environment will feature colour displays and control will be via a quadruplex re-configurabel fly-by-wire flight control system. Low maintenance costs are also offered, claims Aermacchi. Aermacchi has selected a number of risk sharing partners/suppliers, like: Air Liquide: OBOGS ASE: electrical generators Galileo Avionica: avionics core system /HuD and three LCDs (5 x 5 inch) in each cockpit, mission processor Dowty/Microtecnica: control surfaces actuation Honeywell: INS (laser/GPS), environmental control system ITEC (Honeywell): F124 engine, which gives a very high thrust-to-weight ratio. The twin-engined configuration gives safety and power. Liebherr: nose landing gear Martin-Baker/SICAMB: Mk.16D ejection seat Microtecnica: hydraulic system Microturbo/Snecma: Rubis auxiliary power unit, operable to 20000 ft Secondo Mona: fuel system Teleavio/Marconi Italiana/BAE Systems: fly-by-wire system, which enables handling qualities to be tailored History (Geschichte) For many years, Aermacchi collaborated with Yakovlev in tests of the Yak/AEM-130. This demonstrator logged about 300 flights from April 1996 through December 1999. Due to funding constraints and different priorities in Russia, in January 2000 the company decided to go it alone and rework the design to western standards. This „commitment“ was announced at the Farnborough air show in July 2000, where the designation M-346 was introduced and the engine selection made public. At that time Aermacchi said it wants to push ahead at the fastest pace possible. A first flight in mid-2002 and deliveries in 2005 were foreseen. Funding is provided by the company plus some research money from the Italian government. A full scale mock-up was shown at the Paris Air Show in June 2001, revealing details like the rounded nose and in-flight refuelling probe. At that time, jigs for the wing were in place and fuselage jigs were expected to follow in a few months. First flight was now rescheduled to June 2003, a year later as first announced. The critical design review was completed in late 2001. On 9 April 2003, Aermacchi signed the final agreement for the Direzione Nazionale Armamenti to act as the certification authority for the M-346. The first prototype of the M-346 was rolled out on 7 June 2003 in Venegono, with Italian ministers Marzano, Bossi and Maroni present. At the rollout it was said that, after ground tests, the maiden flight could take place in November 2003. In May 2003, Aermacchi had said that initial operational clearance will be reached in 2005 with full clearance in 2007. Production deliveries could start in early 2007. In November 2003 it became clear that the first flight had been pushed back some six months to the spring of 2004. Aermacchi said that after the Royal Air Force had decided to stick with the BAE Hawk, there was no immediate pressure from potential customers. On 25 and 26 November 2003, ath the Chalgrove experimental centre near Oxford, UK, the zero-zero ejection tests were successfully carried out with the Martin-Baker Mk.16L ejection seats. The second fuselage was removed from the assembly jig on 11 December 2003. The structural test on the second prototype wing fitted with control surfaces was completed on 17 December 2003. The test involved loading of the wing box and control surfaces on 54 load application points. Engine ground runs started in mid-April 2004 in Venegono. During the first tests, the prototype was stationed on the runway with the engines in ground idle condition. Taxi tests started on 28 April 2004, with progressively increasing speed. They tested the digital steer-by-wire technology and the brake-by-wire and anti-skid functions. The Aermacchi M-346 flew for the first time on 15 July 2004. The aircraft took off from the Venegono airfield in Italy at 8.30 hours local time and returned at 9:25. The flight was controlled in real time by Aermacchi flight test team operating from the company telemetry facilities. The maiden flight pilot was Olinto Cecconello, Aermacchi Experimental Chief Test Pilot. The M-346 was chased by two Aermacchi's MB-339CD aircraft, piloted by Capt. Alessandro Sciaburri of the Italian Air Force Flight Test Centre and by Maurizio Cheli, Alenia Aeronautica's Chief Test Pilot for combat aircraft. The pilot's comments on the flight characteristics were very positive: “The M-346 confirmed its high thrust to weight ratio, outstanding field performance with a take-off run of 400 m and a landing distance of 520 m. The digital Flight Control System allowed smooth and precise manoeuvres”. Aircraft no. 1 will do the handling and performance tests, high AoA work, FCS verification etc. The second M-346 is planned to fly in the spring of 2005 (instead of late third or early fourth quarter of 2004). It is slated for avionics and in-flight refuelling work, as well as onboard simulation work. The third aircraft, which will be production representative, is to fly in mid 2006 (instead of late 2005). It will concentrate on avionic systems development, the new main landing gear, radar integration, EW and external stores. There will also be static and fatigue test airframes. A comprehensive flying test campaign consisting in 700 flights based on the three instrumented aircraft for full flight envelope assessment and for Type Certification is planned. Series deliveries could start in 2008, it was said in February 2004.
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