Italy Receives First M-346 Master Advanced Jet Trainer

摘要

The Italian air force has officially accepted the first Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master advanced jet trainer. The aircraft will be assigned to the Reparto Sperimentale Volo test unit in Pratica di Mare near Rome and should be followed before year-end by another aircraft. The M-346 received Italian military qualification in June. Four more trainers and a ground-based training system are to follow in 2012, allowing the start of training operations in the southern Italy-based 61st Wing. The Reparto Sperimentale Volo is due to transfer the first two aircraft to the operational training wing as soon as possible. These first six aircraft, which have the Italian military designation of T-346A, were ordered under a €220 million ($297 million) contract signed at the end of 2009. At the time, delivery of the first two aircraft was expected by the end of 2010.